Evaluating Manning's Roughness Coefficient for Flows with Equilibrium and Non-equilibrium Sediment Transport

One of the challenges in using Manning’s equation lies in accurately determining Manning’s roughness coefficient, especially due to sediment transport. The condition of sediment transport within a specific section of a river can be in equilibrium, meaning that the amount of sediment entering and exiting the segment is balanced or it can be in non-equilibrium, where there is an imbalance between the sediment entering and leaving the segment. Experiments were carried out in the laboratory to simulate both transport conditions, one involving sediment feeding (equilibrium condition) and the other without sediment feeding (non-equilibrium condition). A total of 180 mean velocity profiles were measured using an acoustic doppler velocimeter (ADV) in fixed and movable bed flows. The present experiment was combined with theoretical approaches to evaluate Manning’s coefficient in open channels under sediment transport-flow conditions and reach conclusive results. The shape of the velocity profile, u/U, for flows over a movable bed with sediment feeding is “slender” compared to those without sediment feeding. The presence of sediment transport affects the shape of the velocity profile, especially in the inner region, influencing Manning's roughness coefficient. This coefficient can be determined from two-point velocity measurements at z/H = 0.1 and 0.2 for fixed and movable bed flows with and without sediment feeding, respectively. On average, sediment feeding increases the coefficient by 19% compared to the non-sediment feeding case. KEYWORDS: Manning’s roughness coefficient, Velocity profile, Equilibrium and non-equilibrium, Sediment transport, Open-channel flow