Supercritical flow involves shallow water flowing in high velocity. The shallow water depth results in higher velocity head when compared with subcritical flow. The fast flow of water causes erosion to channel linings and beddings. When the channel slope becomes flat, the flow can become subcritical causing the formation of hydraulic jump which further causes erosion to channel bed.
Owing to swift flow of water in channels accommodating supercritical flow, there is considerable safety risk in the event of passengers falling into the channel and washed away to downstream. Moreover, it poses difficulty in carrying out maintenance operation of the channel owing to its high water flow.
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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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