Standard Stilling Basins
The energy dissipaters structures perform the energy reduction by converting the
kinetic energy into turbulence and finally into heat. The dissipation of energy can be
achieved by means of several methods such as stilling basins. For a hydraulic
structure stilling basin, the energy can be dissipated by means of a hydraulic jump
within the basin, so that the high energy supercritical flow entering the basin is
converted to lower energy subcritical flow before reaching the downstream channel.
The hydraulic jump should be confined to a heavily-armored channel reach, the
bottom of which is protected by a solid surface such as concrete to resist scouring.
Since the cost of concrete structure is relatively high, the length of the hydraulic jump
is usually controlled by accessories that not only stabilize the jump action and
increase the factor of safety, but also reduce the cost of the structure.
Optimum energy dissipation will occur when the flow enters the dissipater uniformly.
To ensure that a stilling basin performs its function efficiently, basin should be
designed in such a way that the elevation of tail water depth in the downstream
channel not be much less than the elevation of conjugate depth of jump.
Design consideration
There are several consideration in designing hydraulic jumps and stilling basins
(Chow 1959-page 414) as follows:
a) Jump position: There are three jump alternatives that allow a hydraulic jump to
form downstream of a transition in the channel. These positions are controlled by
tailwater.
b) Tailwater condition: It should be taken into account in the design procedure.
c) Jump type: Various types of hydraulic jumps that may occur are summarized in
part a. The greater the Froude number, the higher is the effect of tailwater on the
jump.
Control of jumps:
Jumps can be controlled by several types of appurtenances such as chute blocks, baffle
pier and sills. Typical sketch of stilling basin is shown in Fig.1.
Fig 1. Typical sketch of stilling basins.
Chute blocks are located at the entrance to the stilling basin. Their function is to
furrow the incoming jet of flow and lift a portion of it from the floor producing a
shorter length of jump than would be possible without them.
Baffles are blocks placed in the intermediate position across the basin floor. Their
function is to dissipate energy mostly by impact action. They are useful in small
structures with low incoming velocities. They are unsuitable where high velocities
make cavitation possible.
Sills are usually provided at the end of the stilling basin. Their functions are to induce
jump formation and to control its position.
Classification of Stilling Basins
Stilling basins can be classified into:
a) Stilling basins in which Fr < 4.5. This is generally encountered on weirs and
barrages.
b) Stilling basins in which Fr > 4.5. This is a general feature for medium and high
dams
Stilling basins categories
Three major categories of basins are used for a range of hydraulic conditions (Chow
1959, P-415).
* The S.A.F. (Saint Anthony Falls) Stilling Basin : This is recommended for
use on small structures such as small spillways, outlet works, and small canal
structures. It has a particularly wide range of application conditions (1.7< Fr 1 <17)
and is very effective in shortening the jump. The reduction in basin length achieved
through the use of appurtenances (baffle blocks, a sloping entrance and an end sill)
designed for the basin is about 80%. This stilling basin was developed at the St.
Anthony Falls Hydraulic Laboratory, University of Minnesota. The geometry and
dimensions for a straight-sided basin are shown in Fig. 2. The design rules are
summarized as follows:
1. The stilling basin Length of basin (L B) is related to the incoming Froude number
Fr1by:
4.5 y 2
LB = 0.76 …………………………………………………………………...…… (1)
Fr 1
where, y2 is the depth of water after the jump.
2. The height of the chute blocks and floor blocks is y1, and the width and spacing are
approximately 0.75y1.
3. The baffle piers are placed directly downstream of the openings between the chute
blocks at a distance equal to LB/3 from the ends of the chute blocks.
4. No floor block (baffle pier) should be placed closer to the side wall than0.375 y 1.
5. The floor blocks (baffle piers) should occupy between 40 and 55% of the stilling
basin width.
6. The widths and spacings of the floor blocks (baffle piers) for diverging stilling
basins should be increased in proportion to the increase in stilling-basin width at the
floor-block location.
7. The height of end sill is given by c = 0.07y2, where y2 is the theoretical sequent
depth corresponding to y1.
8. The depth of tailwater above the stilling-basin floor is given by:
2
Fr1
'
y 2 =(1.10− )y for Fr 1=¿1.7 to 5.5;……………………….…. (2)
120 2
'
y 2 =0.85 y 2 for Fr 1=¿5.5 to 11; ……………………….…. (3)
2
Fr1
'
y 2 =(1.00− )y for Fr 1=¿11-17 ……………………….…...… (4)
800 2
9. The height of the side wall above the maximum tailwater depth to be expected
during the life of the structure should allow a free board of z= y 2 /3.
10. Wing walls should be provided for the transition from the basin to the downstream
channel equal in height to the stilling-basin side walls. The top of the wing wall
should have a slope of 1 on 1.
11. The wing wall should be placed at an angle of 45° to the outlet center line.
12. The stilling-basin side walls may be parallel (as in a rectangular stilling basin) or
they may diverge as an extension of the transition side walls (as in a trapezoidal
stilling basin).
13. A cutoff wall of nominal depth should be used at the end of the stilling basin.
14. The effect of entrained air should be neglected in the design of the stilling basin.
Fig. 2 The SAF stilling basin geometry.
Fig. 2 The SAF stilling basin parameters. A) Rectangular stilling basin, b) Trapezoidal
stilling basin (half-plan), c) Centreline section.
Stilling Basin Design for Low Froude Numbers Fr < 4.5
USBR Stilling Basin IV: This stilling basin is used for Froude number varying
between Fr = 2.5-4.5 which usually occur in canal structures such as weirs, canal falls,
and diversion dams. This type of basins is applicable only to rectangular cross
sections. For this range of Froude number an oscillating jump will be produced in the
stilling basin generating a wave that is difficult to dampen. USBR Stilling Basin IV is
designed to eliminate the wave at this source (see Fig. 3). This is achieved by
intensifying the roller, which appears in the upper portion of the jump.
Fig.3 Proportions of USBR basin IV (Chow 1959, p 422).
The number of chute blocks shown in Fig. 3 is the minimum required
to serve the purpose. For better hydraulic performance, it is
desirable to construct the blocks narrower than indicated, for better
hydraulic performance 0.75w. The tailwater depth is to set 5 to 10%
greater than the sequent depth of the jump, i.e. to set the tail water Tw =
(1.05-1.1) D2. . The length of the basin is generally kept equal to 5 ( D2−D 1) .
USBR Stilling Basins
1. USBR basin I: In this type of the stilling basins the hydraulic jump is
occurring on a flat floor without chute blocks, or sills. The basin length is
equal to the hydraulic jump length. However, such a basin is usually not very
practical because of its expensive length and its lack of control.
2. USBR basin II: will be described in the next article.
3. USBR basin III: is designed for a purpose similar to that of the SAF basin,
but it has a higher factor of safety. The performance of this basin indicates that
the jump-and-basin length can be reduced about 60% with the appurtenances,
as compared with 80% for the SAF basin. Therefore, the SAF basin is shorter
and more economical but, in consequence, has a lower safety factor. The
basin is used for small structures and when Fr ¿ 4 .5.
4. USBR basin IV: will be described in the next article.
5. USBR basin V: is used where structural economies dictate the use of a
sloping apron, usually on high-dam spillways.
USBR basins II and IV will be describedin this and the next articles,
respectively.
Stilling Basin Design for Froude Numbers Fr > 4.5
USBR Stilling Basin II: various types of generalized design of
stilling basin have been developed by the U.S. Bureau of
Reclamation as follows:
USBR basin II: This is recommended for use on large structures such as dam
spillways and for large canal structures when the incoming Froude number Fr is
greater than 4.5. The basin contains chute blocks at the upstream end and a dentated
sill near the downstream end. No baffle piers are used because the relatively high
velocities entering the jump might cause cavitation on piers. The dimensions of the
chute blocks, dentated sill, etc. are shown in [Link] length of the basin is related
to Froude numbers shown in Table. 1.
Table 1. Limits of basin length
Froude number, Fr Length of the basin
4 3.6 D2
6 4.0 D2
8 4.2 D2
10 or more 4.3 D2
The detailed design and the data for computations are shown in Fig. 4. The rules
recommended for the design are as follows:
1. Set apron elevation to utilize full sequent tailwater depth, plus an added factor of
safety if needed. The dashed lines in Fig. 4 are guides drawn for various ratios of
actual tailwater depth to sequent depth. Studies of existing designs indicate that most
of the basins were designed for sequent tailwater depth or less. However, there is a
limit, which is governed by the curve labeled “Minimum TW depth.'' This curve
indicates the point at which the front of the jump moves away from the chute blocks.
In other words, any additional lowering of the tailwater depth would cause the jump
to leave the basin; that is, would produce a “sweep-out.” For design purposes, the
basin should not be designed for less than sequent depth. For additional safety, in fact,
the Bureau recommends that a minimum safety margin of 5 % of D 2 be added to the
sequent depth.
2. Basin II may be effective down to a Froude number of 4, but the lower values
should not be taken for granted. For lower values, designs considering wave
suppression are recommended.
3. The length of basin can be obtained from the length-of-jump curve in Fig. 4c.
4. The height of chute blocks is equal to the depth D1 of flow entering the basin. The
width and spacing should be approximately equal to D1; however, this may be varied
to eliminate the need for fractional blocks, A space equal to 0.5D1 is preferable along
each wall to reduce spray and maintain desirable pressures.
5. The height of the dentated sill is equal to 0.2D2, and the maximum width and
spacing recommended is approximately 0.15D2. In this design a block is
recommended adjacent to each side wall (Fig. 4e). The slope of the continuous
portion of the end sill is 2 :1. In the case of narrow basins, which would involve only
a few dentates according to the above rule, it is advisable to reduce the width and the
spacing, provided this is done proportionally. Reducing the width and spacing
actually improves the performance in narrow basins; thus, the minimum width and
spacing of the dentates is governed only by structural considerations.
6. It is not necessary to stagger the chute blocks and the sill dentates. In fact this
practice is usually inadvisable from a construction standpoint.
7. The verification tests on basin II indicated no perceptible change in the stilling-
basin action with respect to the slope of the chute preceding the basin. The slope of
chute varied from 0.6:1 to 2:1 in these tests. Actually, the slope of the chute does have
an effect on the hydraulic jump in some cases. It is recommended that the sharp
intersection between chute and basin apron be replaced with a curve of reasonable
radius (R ≥ 4D1) when the slope of the chute is 1:1 or greater. Chute blocks can be
incorporated on the curved face as readily as on the plane surfaces. On steep chutes
the length of top surface on the chute blocks should be made sufficiently long to
deflect the jet. The above, rules will result in a safe, conservative stilling basin for
spillways with fall up to 200 ft and for flows up to 500 cfs per foot of basin width,
provided the jet entering the basin is reasonably uniform both in velocity and in depth.
For greater falls, larger unit discharges, or possible asymmetry, a model study of the
specific design is recommended.
8. The approximate water-surface and pressure profiles of a jump in the basin are
shown in Fig. 4d.
Fig.4 Design curves and proportions of USBR basin II. a) Definition of symbols; (b)
minimum tailwater depths; (c) length of hydraulic jump; (d) approximate water surface
and pressure profiles (conjugate depth — sequent depth); (e) recommended proportions.
