CIV E 530 - OPEN-CHANNEL HYDRAULICS SPRING 2015 - MIDTERM 2 - SOLUTION

PROBLEM 4: COMPARISON BETWEEN DIRECT STEP AND STANDARD STEP METHODS

1. Direct-step method is restricted to a PRISMATIC (usually artificial) channel.

   Standard-step method is used for ANY-SHAPE (usually natural) channel.

2. Direct-step method is EASY.

   Standard-step method is DIFFICULT.

3. Direct-step method advances DIRECTLY.

   Standard-step method advances BY ITERATION.

4. Direct-step method uses ONE TYPICAL cross section.

   Standard-step method uses MANY DIFFERENT cross sections.

5. Direct-step method has MINIMAL data needs.

   Standard-step method has EXTENSIVE data needs.

6. In the direct-step method accuracy increases with A SMALLER DEPTH INCREMENT.

   In the standard-step method accuracy increases with MORE CROSS SECTIONS.

7. Direct-step method ASSUMES FLOW DEPTH and calculates distance.

   Standard-step method ASSUMES DISTANCE and calculates flow depth.

8. Direct-step method uses CHANNEL LENGTH as dependent variable.

   Standard-step method uses FLOW DEPTH as dependent variable.

9. Direct-step method uses SPREAD SHEET OR PROGRAMMING.

   Standard-step method uses HEC-RAS.

10. In the direct-step method an answer is ALWAYS POSSIBLE

    In the standard-step method an answer is SOMETIMES NOT POSSIBLE.

11. In the direct-step method cost is COMPARATIVELY SMALL

    In the standard-step method cost is COMPARATIVELY LARGE.

12. In the direct-step method public acceptance is AVERAGE

    In the standard-step method public acceptance is HIGH.