At critical depth :a)The discharge is minimum for a given specific ene...
The characteristics of critical flow are
(i) The specific energy and specific force are minimum for the given discharge.
(ii) The Froude number is equal to unity.
(iii) For a given specific energy the discharge is maximum at the critical flow.
(iv) The velocity head is equal to half the hydraulic depth in a channel of small slope.
(v) The velocity of flow in a channel of small slope with uniform velocity distribution, is
equal to the celerity of small gravity waves (C gh = ) is shallow water caused by local
disturbance.
(vi) Flow at the critical state is unstable.
Critical flow may occur at a particular section or in the entire channel, then the flow in the channel is called "Critical flow".
yc = f(A,D ) for a given discharge.
For a prismatic channel for a given discharge the critical depth is constant at all sections of a channel. The bed slope which sustains a given discharge at a uniform and critical depth is called "Critical slope Sc". A channel slope causing slower flow in sub critical state for a given discharge is called "sub critical slope or mild slope". A slope greater than the critical slope is called steep slope or super critical slope.