The hydraulics of parallel sluice gates under low flow delivery condition

• The flow through submerged and free parallel sluice gate is considered under low flow delivery condition.
• The head–discharge curve of the single sluice gate cannot be used for the parallel sluice gates.
• New distinguishing condition curves were developed to identify the flow regime through parallel gates.
• Buckingham theorem and incomplete self-similarity concepts were used to develop a new head–discharge relationship.

In this paper the flow through parallel sluice gates under low flow conditions and with some of the gates closed resulting in symmetrical or asymmetrical gate installations was studied experimentally. The current stage–discharge formula for single sluice gates cannot be used for either free flowing or submerged parallel sluice gates. Then, on the basis of experimental observations, the effect of the closed gates was considered to develop a submergence distinguishing condition curve formula. For both free and submerged regimes, the Π-theorem along with the incomplete self-similarity concept was used to develop head–discharge formulas for symmetrical and asymmetrical gate installations. The proposed formulas were then calibrated using the compiled experimental data. The new approach is shown to be applicable within the entire range of operation, i.e. from free to submerged flow regimes as well as the transition zone.

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