Design of Stilling Basin
Dr. Shahid Ali
Stilling Basin
• Stilling basin is a hydraulic structure located between the outlet works of dam
(spillway, tunnel etc.), Barrage structure or weir and the tail water and
constructed to dissipate energy of rapidly flowing water meant to protect the
bed of river, stream, canal or drain from erosion.
• It is a structure which makes use of the hydraulic jump to dissipate the hydro
mechanical energy of rapidly flowing water.
• The Hydraulic jump makes stilling basin economical.
• In a stilling basin excess hydro mechanical energy is mainly converted into heat,
spray and sound.
The selection of a stilling basin depends on
• Approach flow conditions
• Tail water characteristics
• Scour potential and
• Personal preferences.
The approach energy head should be between 10 and 30 m, in order that the performance of the basin is
successful.
minimum tailwater level should be equal to the sequent depth.
Relationship between tailwater and sequent depth is shown in figure.
Problems with stilling basins can occur for high approach velocity. Froude number less than 2.5
with asymmetric approach conditions, non linear inflow or outflow or low tail water level.
The basin floor level must be selected to provide a hydraulic jump elevation that
conforms to tail water elevation for various discharges in order to prevent sweep
out of jump from the basin
A tailwater rating curve, which is the stage discharge relationship of the natural
stream or river below a dam, must be determined using the water surface profile
determination method
Tail water rating curves are dependent upon the natural conditions of
downstream river characteristics and are not normally changed by the spillway
release characteristics.
The objective is to compare the elevation-discharge relationship with the
tailwater rating curve determined from a backwater analysis.
The conjugate depth- discharge relationship is developed for a certain spillway
basin including the basin width and basin floor elevation.
Basic Elements of Stilling Basin
The basins are usually provided with special appurtenances including chute
blocks, sills and baffles piers.
Baffles are provided mainly to shorten hydraulic jump without gaining
additional tail water level. Compared to a simple hydraulic jump basin in
which the approach flow momentum is balanced by an adequate tail water
level, stilling basins have in addition chute and baffles elements. Those
elements are located on the basin bottom and involve steps, sills or blocks. The
effect of dissipation can be increased with a diverging basin.
Chute blocks: are used to form a serrated device at the entrance to the stilling
basin. Their function is to furrow the incoming jet and lift a portion of it from the
floor producing a shorter length of jump than would be possible without them.
The sill: is usually provided at the end of stilling basin. Its function is to reduce
further the length of the jump and to control scour. The sill has additional
function of diffusing the residual portion of high velocity jet that may reach the
end of the basin.
Appurtenances in stilling basin
Baffle Piers: are blocks placed in the intermediate position across the basin
floor. Their function is to dissipate energy mostly by impact action. They are
useful in small structures with low incoming velocities. They are unsuitable
where high velocities make cavitation possible.
Among the large variety of shapes that have been proposed the baffle sill basin and the baffle
block basin are the most popular ones.
Those elements are prone to cavitation damage. Even though abrasion is of not
concern for basins downstream of overflow structures, it becomes very important in
case of bottom outlets.
In case of stilling basins with high velocity leading to the possibilities of abrasion,
baffles should be fitted with steel-armouring, or a simple basin should be provided.
Typical dimensions of proto type baffles
Typical elements of Stilling basin
Increasing the boundary roughness and injection of additional discharge have not
received much attention. Because of associated cavitation and stability issues.
Figure shows such possibilities in the flow of stilling basin.
Typical elements of Stilling basin
Classification of Stilling Basins
Stilling basins can be classified into:
Stilling basins in which F1 < 4.5. This is generally encountered on weirs and barrages.
Stilling basins in which F2> 4.5. This is a general feature for medium and high dams.
Types of Hydraulic Jump Basin
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has classified into following types
Basin I; Horizontal Apron
Basin II; Stilling basins for high dams and earth dam spillways and large
canal structures.
Basin III; Short stilling basins for canal structures, small outlet works, and
small spill ways.
Basin IV; Stilling basins and wave suppressors for canal structures, outlet
works, and diversion dams
Basin V; Stilling Basin with sloping apron
Basins are based on developing a hydraulic jump to dissipating
energy
For Froude number of 1 for incoming discharge the flow is
critical and Hydraulic jump cannot form.
For Froude no. 1 to 1.7 , Incoming flow is slightly below the
critical depth , the hydraulic still cannot form. (Undulating flow)
For Froude no. above 1.7, incoming flow can produce hydraulic
jump
The main concern in the design of a hydraulic- jump stilling basin is the
determination of the basin width and elevation to form a stable hydraulic
jump in the basin.
If the water depth in the stream is lower than the conjugate depth of the
jump, the jump will wept out of the basin. This will lead to erosion of the
unprotected stream bed unless the basin is long enough to contain the jump
If the tail water depth is higher than the conjugate depth, the jump moves
upstream until the conjugate and tail water depths become equal. In the
process, the jump may be drowned, losing its efficiency as an energy
dissipater.
The design objective is to select the basin width and elevation to match the
tail water and conjugate depths at all discharges and to contain the jump in
the basin.
It is difficult to achieve for all discharges due to the limitations of economy
and topography.
General practice is to sacrifice jump efficiency in order to prevent bed
scour. Generally , the tail water and conjugate depths only for the design
discharges.
Basin I;
For Froude number less than1.7, no special stilling basin is required.
Channel length must be extend beyond the point where the depth starts to
change to not less than 4 y2.
Basin does not required baffle or dissipation devices.
Basin II;
These basin s contains chute blocks at the upstream end and a dentated sill
near the downstream end.
These basins are for the Froude no above 4.5 or velocities above 50 ft/sec.
Basin III;
These are shorter than type II with a simple end sill and with baffle piers
downstream of the chute blocks.
Type III basin length is 60% of the Type II basin.
These are used for small spillways, outlet works and small canal structures, where
velocity is not exceeding 50 to 60 ft/sec and Froude is less than 4.5
Incoming velocity for the type III basin must be limited to prevent the possibility of
low pressures on the baffle piers that can result in cavitation.
Basin IV;
These are used where the Froude no. is in the range of 2.5 to 4.5.
Canal structures, low dams (small spillway) small outlet works and diversion dams.
Hydraulic jump is not fully developed and the main concern is the waves created in
the unstable hydraulic jump.
It has large deflector blocks that are similar to but larger than chute blocks and an
optional solid end sill. However it has large baffle piers and a dentated end sill.
Basin V;
• These are stilling basin with the sloping aprons.
• Sloping aprons need a greater tail water depth the horizontal basin.
• These are usually used on high dam spillways
Stilling Basin Design for Low Froude Numbers F1<4.5
1. U.S.B.R. Stilling Basin IV
2. S.A.F. (Saint Anthony Falls) Stilling Basin
The S.A.F. Stilling Basin
This stilling basin was developed at the St. Anthony Falls Hydraulic Laboratory,
University of Minnesota.
U.S.B.R. Stilling Basin IV
See Fig.
1