Nondimensional Expression of Unsteady Canal Flow

By appropriate choice of reference variables, dimensionless governing equations and initial and boundary conditions of unsteady canal flow have fewer independent parameters that do their dimensioned counterparts; the same information can be expressed more compactly. With design discharge and normal depth as references, unsteady flow is governed by cross-sectional shape factors, Froude number at normal depth, and the dimensionless length, as well...