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Energy and momentum coefficients, power-law profile

Short answer

For u = u₀(d/d₀)ⁿ, the energy correction factor α = (n+1)³/(3n+1) and momentum coefficient β = (n+1)²/(2n+1).

The velocity distribution in a channel section may be approximated by the equation u=u0(d/d0)nu = u_0 (d/d_0)^n in which u is the flow velocity at depth d; u0u_0 is the flow velocity at depth d0d_0 and n = a constant. Derive expression for the energy and momentum coefficient.

Let dd be the height above the bed, d0d_0 the full flow depth and u0u_0 the velocity at d=d0d = d_0 (the surface). Take a unit width, so dA=dddA = dd and A=d0A = d_0.

Mean velocity

V=1d0∫0d0u0(dd0)ndd=u0d0⋅d0n+1=u0n+1V = \frac{1}{d_0}\int_0^{d_0} u_0\left(\frac{d}{d_0}\right)^n dd = \frac{u_0}{d_0}\cdot\frac{d_0}{n+1} = \frac{u_0}{n+1}

Energy coefficient (kinetic energy correction factor)

α=∫u3 dAV3A\alpha = \frac{\int u^3\,dA}{V^3 A} ∫0d0u03(dd0)3ndd=u03 d03n+1\int_0^{d_0} u_0^3\left(\frac{d}{d_0}\right)^{3n} dd = \frac{u_0^3\,d_0}{3n+1} α=u03 d0/(3n+1)[u0/(n+1)]3d0=(n+1)33n+1\alpha = \frac{u_0^3\,d_0/(3n+1)}{\left[u_0/(n+1)\right]^3 d_0} = \frac{(n+1)^3}{3n+1}

Momentum coefficient (Boussinesq coefficient)

β=∫u2 dAV2A\beta = \frac{\int u^2\,dA}{V^2 A} ∫0d0u02(dd0)2ndd=u02 d02n+1\int_0^{d_0} u_0^2\left(\frac{d}{d_0}\right)^{2n} dd = \frac{u_0^2\,d_0}{2n+1} β=u02 d0/(2n+1)[u0/(n+1)]2d0=(n+1)22n+1\beta = \frac{u_0^2\,d_0/(2n+1)}{\left[u_0/(n+1)\right]^2 d_0} = \frac{(n+1)^2}{2n+1}

Answer:

α=(n+1)33n+1,β=(n+1)22n+1\boxed{\alpha = \frac{(n+1)^3}{3n+1},\qquad \beta = \frac{(n+1)^2}{2n+1}}

Check: for uniform velocity (n=0n = 0), α=β=1\alpha = \beta = 1. For n=1/7n = 1/7, α=(8/7)310/7=1.045\alpha = \dfrac{(8/7)^3}{10/7} = 1.045 and β=(8/7)29/7=1.016\beta = \dfrac{(8/7)^2}{9/7} = 1.016, typical of real channels.

✓ Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort)

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