Chapter- 4

Hydraulic Design of Sewers

 Outline
Chapter 1. Quantity of Water

Chapter 2. Water Supply Sources

Chapter 3. Urban Drainage and Sewerage

Chapter 4. Hydraulic Design of Sewers

Chapter 5. Storm Water and Water Resources

Management
 Contains
 Introduction

Hydraulic Formula

 Minimum and Maximum Flows

Pipe Materials used in Water Distribution System

 Introduction
• Hydraulic properties of sewage and water are considered
identical in sewer design
• Number of empirical formulae are used for flow sewage in pipes
and channels
• Formulas which are applicable in the design of water mains can
not be adopted in the design of sewers due to the following :
• Water mains run under pressure and does not need gradient
and deep excavations while sewers on the other hand flow
under gravity and have to be laid with definite gradient in
downward direction
• Water flowing in water mains are practically free of solid
particles while sewage contains large amount of settable
particles hence the sewage must be laid at gradient that
settlement of suspended particles does not take place and
sewers are not choked
Hydraulic Design … Formulae
• Hydraulic Formula

Sewers are designed for flow under gravity

There are various formulae to determine velocity in sewer

Charts, diagrams and graphs can be used to determine

velocity in sewers
Hydraulic Design … Formulae cont..
1. Chezy’s Formula:
V = C (RS)1/2
Where : V = Velocity in m/s
R = Hydraulic radius
S = Slope of longitudinal gradient
C = Chezy’s Constant
Chezy’s constant is complex which depends on size, shape,
roughness, hydraulic radius and values of C can be obtained from
table
2. Manning’s Formula
V = R2/3 S1/2/n
Where V, R and S are as given in Chezy’s formula and
n is Manning’s constant whose values for different surfaces are
given in Table below
 Values of Manning’s Formula “n”
No. Type of material Value of n
1 Smooth earthen channel 0.020
2 Corrugated iron pipes 0.021
3 Earthen channel in average condition 0.025
4 Earthen channel not maintained properly 0.030
5 Rough channels in rock cutting 0.030
6 Cast Iron pipes 0.013
7 Brick sewers
i) Flush pointed 0.015
ii) Plastered smooth 0.013
iii) Rough brick work or stone masonry 0.017
8 Smooth cement plastered surface 0.010
9 Concrete surface or unplanned timber 0.012
10 Vitrified clay pipe or stoneware pipe
i) In good condition 0.013
ii) In poor condition 0.015
Hydraulic Design … Formulae cont…

3. Bazin’s Formula
V = (157.6/(1.81 + K/R1/2))x(RS)1/2

Where V, R and S are as given in Chezy’s formula and K is

Bazin’s constant whose values for different surfaces are given in
Table below
Hydraulic Design … Formulae Cont…

Bazin’s Constant K

No. Nature of Surface of Sewer Value of K

1 Rough earthen channels 3.17
2 Good earthen channels 1.54
3 Smooth rubble masonry surface 0.833
4 Rough brick and concrete surface 0.50
5 Smooth brick and concrete surface 0.29

6 Very smooth surfaces 0.11

As a rough guide for sewers K = 0.3 can be taken

Hydraulic Design … Formulae Cont…

Manning ‘n’ values for various materials

 Hydraulic Design … Formula cont..

4. Crimp’s and Burge’s Formula

V = 83.45 R2/3 S1/2

Where V, R and S are as given in Chezy’s formula

5. Hazen and William’s Formula

V = 0.85 CR0.63 S0.54

C is constant whose values for different types of surfaces are given

in the next sild
Values of C in Hazen and William’s Formula
No. Type of Material Value of C
1 Stoneware pipes in good condition, 110
cement lined pipes etc
2 Wood stave pipe 120
3 New C.I. pipe 130
4 Pipe with very smooth inside surface 140
(PVC…)
5 Brick sewers in good condition and C.I. 150
pipe
Hydraulic Design
Minimum and Maximum Velocity methods

Minimum Velocity

• To avoid silting up and choking of sewers a certain minimum

velocity has to be maintained

• Such a minimum velocity is known as self-cleansing velocity

• To avoid trouble in sewers : having self –cleansing velocity at

least once in a day if possible twice is necessary.
Hydraulic Design … Minimum and Maximum Velocity Cont…
Minimum Velocity…

• Besides transportation certain minimum velocity should be kept for:

• Economical reasons since very low velocities require greater
cross-sectional area for a particular flow
• Hygienic and economical reasons since slow velocity implies
longer time for the sewage to reach sewer outfall this makes the
sewage stale and highly septic affecting sewer material and staff
in handling
• Larger velocities are required to ensure that as soon as sewage is
developed it reaches the outfall point within the shortest time
possible while it is Fresh – which is easy to handle
 Hydraulic Design … Minimum and Maximum Velocity Cont…

• Self-cleansing Velocity and Grades

• Velocity of flow in sewers depends on
• Longitudinal slope or gradient
• Hydraulic radius
• Coefficient of Roughness
• Coefficient of roughness is considered as constant for same sewer
material hence slope and hydraulic radius are the major variables
• For a particular depth and discharge the flow velocity is governed by
slope.
• Hence, determining the slope of sewer that will result in
cleansing velocity the main task of a designer
Hydraulic Design … Minimum and Maximum Velocity Cont…

Self-cleansing velocity for different sizes of sewer (Badwin

Latham)

Diameter (mm) Self-cleansing velocity in

m/sec

150 - 300 1.0

300 - 600 0.75

above 600 0.60

Hydraulic Design … Minimum and Maximum Velocity Cont…

• Limiting Velocities in Sewers

• Sewers for domestic sewage should be designed that the velocity

of flow does not go below 0.6 m/sec but in general velocity of 0.9
m/sec is desirable (needed)

• Likewise, it is also desirable to limit velocity of flow to about 3

m/sec, though, greater velocity will not usually create any
adverse effect unless undesirable amount of grit is carried in the
sewage
Hydraulic Design … Minimum and Maximum Velocity Cont…

Limiting Velocities in Sewers

• At higher velocities solid particles (grit) are dragged

over the sewer causing rubbing action and damaging the
sewer inner surface reducing the life time of sewer
• So, thus maximum velocity should be limited to avoid
this phenomenon
Hydraulic Design … Minimum and Maximum Velocity Cont…

Limiting Maximum Velocities in Sewers that should

not be exceeded
No. Type of sewer Velocity (m/sec)

1 Brick sewers 2.0 – 2.5

2 Stoneware or vitrified clay sewers 3.0 – 3.5

3 Concrete sewers 2.5 – 3.0

4 Cast iron sewers 3.5 – 4.0

 Hydraulic Design

• Effect of Variation in Flow on Velocity

• Sewage flow in sewers is not constant but varies with time
• Such variation affects, depth of flow which in turn has impact on
hydraulic radius and velocity

• As mentioned before, hydraulic parameters of sewer vary with depth

of flow

• Computation of area of flow, velocity, and discharge is difficult

Pipe Materials used in Sewage and Water Distribution System
 Pipe Materials
 For use in transmission and distribution systems, pipe materials must have the
following characteristics:
 Adequate tensile strength and bending strength to withstand external
loads.
 High bursting strength to withstand internal flow pressure
 Ability to resist impact loads to flow suitable for handling and joining
facilities
 Resistance to both internal and external corrosion
 The types of pipes used for distributing include:
• - Cast iron pipe - Asbestos cement pipe
• - Steel pipe - Copper pipe
- Concrete pipe - Lead pipe
- Plastic pipe
Pipe Materials used in Sewage and Water Distribution System
 A pipe material is selected based on various conditions:
 Cost
 Carrying capacity of the pipe
 Maintenance cost
 Durability, etc.

Asbestos cement pipe

 Pipe Materials used in Sewage and Water Distribution System
Copper pipe

Plastic pipes
 Pipe Materials used in Sewage and Water Distribution System

Concrete pipe

Steel pipe
Pipe materials cont...,
Cast iron pipe
Pipe materials cont...,
lead pipe
 Pipe materials cont...,
• Asbestos cement pipe
•Advantages
•The inside surface of pipe is smooth
•The joining of pipes is very good and flexible
•The pipes are anti-corrosive and cheap in cost
•Disadvantages
•The pipes are brittle
•The pipes are not durable
•The pipes are not laid in exposed places
•The pipes can be used only for very low pressure
 Pipe materials cont...,
• Cast iron pipe
• Advantages
• The cost is moderate
• The pipes are easily joined
• The pipes are not subjected to corrosion
• The pipes are strong and durable
• Service connections can be made easily
• Disadvantage
• The breakage of this pipe is large
• Carrying capacity decreases with increase in life
• The pipes become heavy and uneconomical when their
sizes increase (especially beyond 1200mm)
 Pipe materials cont...,
• Cement concrete pipe
• Advantages
• The inside surfaces of the pipes can be made smooth
• The maintenance cost is very low
• Under normal conditions the pipes are durable
• Pipes can resist normal traffic loads when placed below roads
• There is no danger of rusting and incrustation
• Disadvantage
• The pipes are difficult to transport
• The pipes are likely to crack during transport and handling
• The repair of these pipes are difficult
• These pipes are affected by acids, alkaline, and salty waters
• These pipes are likely to cause leakage due to porosity
 Pipe materials cont...,
• Galvanized iron pipe
•Advantages
•The pipes are cheap
•Light in weight and easy to handle and transport
•Easy to join
• Disadvantage
•These pipes are liable to incrustation (due to
deposition of some materials inside part of pipe)
•Can be easily affected by acidic or alkaline water
•Short useful life
Thank You !