The best hydraulic section of an open channel is characterized by provision of maximum discharge with a given cross sectional area. As such, channels with circular shape is the best hydraulic sections while a rectangular channel with channel width being equal to two times the height of channel is the best hydraulic section among all rectangular sections.
In fact, the choice of best hydraulic section also possesses other advantages than hydraulic performance. For instance, for a given discharge rate the use of best hydraulic section could guarantee the least cross sectional area of the channels. Substantial savings could be made from the reduction in the amount of excavation and from the use of less channel linings.
This question is taken from book named – A Self Learning Manual – Mastering Different Fields of Civil Engineering Works (VC-Q-A-Method) by Vincent T. H. CHU.
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