Hydraulic Radius of a Trapezoidal Channel (Equal Side Slopes)

Hydraulic radius, abbreviated as \(r_h\), is the area cross-section of water in a pipe or channel divided by the wetting perimeter.

 

Hydraulic Radius of a Trapezoidal Channel (Equal Side Slopes) formula

\(\large{ r_h =  \frac  {  h \; \left( b \;+\; z\; h \right) }  { b \;+\; 2\;h \; \sqrt { 1 \;+\; z^2 }  }   }\)

Where:

\(\large{ r_h }\) = hydraulic radius

\(\large{ b }\) = bottom width of fluid

\(\large{ h }\) = depth of fluid

\(\large{ z }\) = width of channel slope