Experimental Study on the Hydraulic Performance of Porous Broad-Crested Weirs with Sloping Crests

Due to their superior technical and hydraulic performance and minimal environmental impact, porous weirs have emerged as a feasible alternative to traditional impermeable solid weirs in water transmission and distribution systems. This research study assesses the hydraulic performance of porous broad-crested weirs (PBCWs) with sloping crests. To accomplish this, 30 PBCW models were designed and tested under various operating conditions, including free and submerged flow scenarios. A comparative analysis was conducted to evaluate the performance of PBCWs with and without sloping crests, with the results being compared against a solid broad-crested weir (SBCW) model. The findings revealed that PBCWs with an upstream crest slope exhibited an average increase of 38% in the discharge coefficient compared to similar SBCWs. Similarly, PBCWs with a downstream crest slope demonstrated an average increase of 28% in the discharge coefficient. Additionally, PBCWs with sloping crests showcased heightened sensitivity to changes in tailwater levels compared to PBCWs with horizontal crests, with PBCWs featuring an upstream crest slope being more responsive than those with a downstream crest slope. Finally, leveraging extensive experimental data, empirical equations were derived using nonlinear multi-variable regression and gene-expression programming techniques to accurately represent the free flow discharge coefficient and submerged flow discharge reduction factor.