Applied Hydraulics Course

Lesson 1 • Density, Specific Weight, and Gravity

Defines mass density, specific weight, and specific gravity with unit conversions. These properties appear in every hydraulic force and pressure calculation.

Lesson 2 • Nature and Classification of Fluids

Distinguishes liquids from gases and ideal from real fluids using physical criteria. Establishes the conceptual baseline for all subsequent hydraulic analysis.

Lesson 3 • Surface Tension and Capillarity

Explains molecular cohesion forces that produce surface tension and capillary rise. Relevant to small-diameter pipe behavior and open-channel free surfaces.

Lesson 4 • Viscosity and Fluid Resistance

Covers dynamic and kinematic viscosity and their role in resisting flow. Connects viscosity to friction losses introduced in later pipe-flow chapters.

Lesson 1 • Pressure Concepts and Measurement

Defines absolute, gauge, and vacuum pressure and introduces common measurement devices. Establishes pressure terminology used throughout the course.

Lesson 2 • Buoyancy and Stability of Floating Bodies

Applies Archimedes' principle to compute buoyant force and assess floating-body stability. Introduces metacentric height as a stability criterion.

Lesson 3 • Forces on Plane Submerged Surfaces

Calculates resultant hydrostatic force and center of pressure on flat surfaces. Directly applicable to gate and retaining-wall design problems.

Lesson 4 • Hydrostatic Pressure Distribution

Derives the hydrostatic equation and pressure variation with depth. Applies the equation to layered fluids and pressure diagrams.

Lesson 1 • Model Design and Scale Ratio Application

Designs a physical hydraulic model by selecting scale ratios and computing model parameters. Converts model measurements back to prototype values using scale laws.

Lesson 2 • Dimensional Homogeneity and Units

Verifies dimensional homogeneity of hydraulic equations and converts between unit systems. Reinforces the dimensional consistency required before applying any formula.

Lesson 3 • Common Dimensionless Parameters

Identifies Reynolds, Froude, Weber, Euler, and Mach numbers and their physical meaning. Links each parameter to the dominant force governing a specific flow regime.

Lesson 4 • Buckingham Pi Theorem

Applies the Buckingham Pi theorem to reduce variables into dimensionless groups. Demonstrates the procedure with pipe flow and open-channel examples.

Lesson 1 • Reynolds Number and Flow Regimes

Defines the Reynolds number and its critical values for pipe and open-channel flow. Establishes the criterion for selecting laminar or turbulent friction models.

Lesson 2 • Streamlines, Pathlines, and Streaklines

Defines and distinguishes the three flow visualization concepts geometrically. Builds intuition for interpreting velocity fields and experimental flow images.

Lesson 3 • Continuity Equation for Flow

Derives the continuity equation from mass conservation for steady incompressible flow. Applies it to pipe networks, branching channels, and variable cross-sections.

Lesson 4 • Flow Classification and Descriptions

Categorizes flow as steady, unsteady, uniform, and non-uniform using mathematical criteria. Provides the vocabulary for specifying flow conditions in all subsequent analyses.

Lesson 1 • Flow Measurement Devices

Applies Bernoulli and continuity to venturi meters, orifice plates, and Pitot tubes. Introduces discharge coefficients to account for real-fluid losses.

Lesson 2 • Bernoulli Equation Derivation

Derives Bernoulli's equation from Newton's second law along a streamline. Identifies the assumptions that limit its direct application to real flows.

Lesson 3 • Modified Bernoulli with Energy Losses

Extends Bernoulli to include pump head, turbine head, and head losses. Provides the general energy equation used in all pipe system design problems.

Lesson 4 • Orifice and Free Jet Flow

Analyzes flow through sharp-edged orifices and free jets using vena contracta concepts. Calculates actual discharge with contraction and velocity coefficients.

Lesson 1 • Friction Losses in Pipes

Derives the Darcy-Weisbach equation and introduces the Moody diagram for friction factor selection. Covers both laminar and turbulent friction factor formulas.

Lesson 2 • Pipes in Series and Parallel

Applies equivalent pipe concepts to series and parallel configurations. Solves for flow distribution and total head loss in compound pipe systems.

Lesson 3 • Single-Pipe System Design Problems

Solves the three classic pipe problems: find head loss, find flow rate, and find diameter. Applies iterative and explicit solution strategies systematically.

Lesson 4 • Minor Losses in Pipe Fittings

Quantifies head losses at entrances, exits, bends, valves, and expansions using loss coefficients. Demonstrates how minor losses dominate in short pipe systems.

Lesson 1 • Pump Similarity Laws and Specific Speed

Applies affinity laws to predict pump performance at changed speed or impeller size. Uses specific speed to guide pump type selection for given conditions.

Lesson 2 • System Curve and Operating Point

Constructs the system resistance curve and finds the pump operating point graphically. Analyzes how pipe modifications shift the operating point.

Lesson 3 • Cavitation and NPSH Requirements

Defines net positive suction head and the conditions that cause cavitation. Guides pump installation height to prevent cavitation damage.

Lesson 4 • Pump Performance Curves

Reads and interprets head-flow, efficiency, and power curves from manufacturer data. Identifies best efficiency point and operating range limits.

Lesson 5 • Hydraulic Turbines and Power Recovery

Classifies impulse and reaction turbines and calculates power output from head and flow. Introduces turbine efficiency and specific speed for selection.

Lesson 1 • Uniform Flow and Manning's Equation

Derives uniform flow conditions and applies Manning's equation to compute depth and velocity. Covers roughness coefficient selection for common channel linings.

Lesson 2 • Gradually Varied Flow Profiles

Classifies M, S, C, A, and H water surface profiles using slope and depth criteria. Applies the direct step method to compute profile lengths numerically.

Lesson 3 • Hydraulic Jump Analysis

Applies the momentum equation to compute sequent depths and energy loss in a hydraulic jump. Identifies jump types by upstream Froude number and designs stilling basins.

Lesson 4 • Specific Energy and Critical Depth

Constructs the specific energy diagram and locates critical depth for various cross-sections. Applies the concept to transitions, humps, and channel contractions.

Lesson 5 • Best Hydraulic Section Design

Optimizes channel cross-section geometry to maximize discharge for a given area. Derives best hydraulic sections for rectangular, trapezoidal, and circular shapes.