Developing Sensitivity Indicators for Hydraulic Perturbation

Introduction: Determination the hydraulic performance of an irrigation network requires adequate knowledge about the sensitivities of the network structures. Hydraulic sensitivity concept of structures and channel reaches aid network operators in identifying structures with higher sensitivities which will attract more attention both during network operation and maintenance program. Sluice gates are frequently used as regulator and delivery structures in irrigation networks. Usually discharge coefficient of sluice gate is considered constant in the design and operation stage. Investigation of sensitivity of offtakes and cross-regulators has carried out by various researchers and some hydraulic sensitivity indicators have been developed. In the previous researches, these indexes were developed based on constant coefficient of discharge for free flow sluice gates. However, the coefficient of discharge for free flow sluice gates depend on gate opening and the upstream water depth. So, in this research, some hydraulic sensitivity indicators at structure based on variable coefficient of discharge for free flow sluice gates were developed and they were validated by using observed data. Materials and Methods: An experimental setup was constructed to analyses the performance of the some hydraulic sensitivity. The flume was provided with storage reservoir, pumps, electromagnetic flowmeter, entrance tank, feeder canal, delivery canals, offtakes, cross-regulators, collector reservoir, piezometric boards. The flume is 60.5 m long and the depth of that is 0.25 m, of which only a small part close to offtake and Cross-regulators was needed for these tests. Offtakes and Cross-regulators are free-flowing sluice gates type. Offtakes were located at distances 20 m and 42.5 m downstream from the entrance tank, respectively. and, Cross-regulators were located 2 m downstream from each offtakes. The offtakes are 0.21 m and Cross-regulators are 0.29 m wide. The upstream and downstream water levels at gates were measured with piezometer taps. There is a collector reservoir downstream of each delivery canal that was equipped with a 135 V-notch weir as a measuring device. The flow was provided by a pump having maximum capacity 35 lit/s, and was measured by an electromagnetic flowmeter of 0.5% accuracy. The suction pipe of the upstream pump was connected to the storage reservoir and its discharge pipe delivered the water to an entrance tank located at the upstream side of the flume. The entrance take was equipped with a turbulence reduction system. Measured water entered to feeder canal and, after adjusting water depth by Cross-regulators, it moved to offtakes and the brink of the feeder canal. Underneath the downstream end of the feeder canal and delivery canals, a tank was installed to collect the water. Water accumulated at the collector tanks was pumped to the storage reservoir by using a pump to complete the water circulation cycle. Results and Discussion: Discharge coefficient is the most important parameter that is effect on hydraulic indicators sensitivity. Therefore, coefficient of discharge for free flow sluice gates determined based on experimental data. Sluice-gate discharge coefficient is a function of geometric and hydraulic parameters. For free flow, it is related to upstream depth and gate opening. In this study, analytical relationships for various sensitivity indices for channel reach were developed, and the performance of the proposed relationships was verified with experimental data compiled during this research. It was shown that using constant discharge coefficient yields average error in the calculated sensitivity of the water depth upstream regulator to the inlet flow, and average error of calculated reach sensitivity indicator, as 16.6% and 5.8%, respectively. While those values for variable coefficient was 5.7% and 1.9%, respectively. Also, for 20% variation in reach inflow, the variable coefficient improved the calculated mean flow depth error upstream of a regulator drastically, i.e. the mentioned error using constant coefficient was 17% while that of variable one was 4.3% Conclusion: In this research, Analytical relationships based on using variable discharge coefficient for Three sensitivity indicators for a canal reach, i.e. reach sensitivity indicator of water depth, reach sensitivity indicator for conveyance and delivery developed. Comparing reach canal sensitivity indicators and the structural sensitivities, i.e. sensitivity of delivery of offtake to absolute water depth deviation and water depth sensitivity to the discharge for regulator with experimental data, showed good agreement. Hence, the technique proved to be reliable in providing what is necessary for practical canal.