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Water Resource Engineering Laboratory

The Water Resources Engineering (WRE) Laboratory is a core undergraduate facility focusing on the experimental study of fluid mechanics and open-channel hydraulics. Equipped with modern testing apparatus, it gives students hands-on experience measuring and analyzing fluid flow, pressure distribution, head loss, and hydraulic structures. These practical exercises directly reinforce theoretical concepts from courses like Fluid Mechanics, Hydraulics, and Open Channel Flow.

Room: 806 Floor: 8, Building: 3, BUBT Main Campus

Capacity: 25 Students

Tilting Flume, Hydraulic Bench, Bernoulli's Theorem Apparatus, Center of Pressure Apparatus.

About This Facility

Water Resource Engineering Laboratory

Department of Civil Engineering | BUBT

📌 Overview

The Water Resources Engineering (WRE) Laboratory is one of the core undergraduate laboratories of the Department of Civil Engineering, dedicated to the experimental study of fundamental principles of fluid mechanics and open-channel hydraulics. The laboratory is equipped with a hydraulic bench, a tilting flume, and a variety of hydraulic testing apparatus for experiments involving flow measurement, energy and momentum principles, pressure distribution, pipe flow, and hydraulic structures. It provides students with hands-on experience in conducting experiments on Bernoulli's theorem, Reynolds number, Venturimeters, Pitot tubes, weirs, flumes, sluice gates, pipe friction, and center of pressure, enabling them to observe and analyze the behavior of fluid flow under different hydraulic conditions. These practical exercises reinforce the theoretical concepts covered in courses such as Fluid Mechanics, Hydraulics, Water Resources Engineering, and Open Channel Flow.

🎯 Objectives

Familiarize students with standard experimental procedures used to evaluate the fundamental principles of fluid mechanics and open channel hydraulics.
Provide hands-on experience in operating hydraulic benches, tilting flumes, and a wide array of specialized flow measurement devices.
Enable students to determine key hydraulic variables including pressure distribution, discharge coefficients, velocity profiles, and frictional head losses.
Develop a practical understanding of open-channel phenomena such as hydraulic jumps, variations in bed slope, and flow control via gates and weirs.
Bridge the gap between classroom theory and real-world engineering practice through guided laboratory investigations.
Train students in accurate data recording, experimental analysis, and technical report writing.

🧪 Major Experiments

Center of Pressure on a Submerged Plane Surface
Verification of Bernoulli's Theorem
Determination of Reynolds Number and Flow Regime
Flow Measurement Using Venturimeter, Orifices, and Mouthpieces
Flow Measurement over Weirs (V-Notch, Sharp/Broad-Crested)
Flow Measurement Using Venturi, Parshall, and Cut-Throat Flumes
Flow Beneath a Sluice Gate and Hydraulic Jump
Determination of Head Loss Due to Pipe Friction
Velocity Distribution and Discharge Measurement in Open Channels

📋 Machine Inventory

Item Name	Qty
Tilting Flume Setup	1 Set
Hydraulic Bench (Main Unit)	1 Set
Sluice Gate Module	1 Set
Venturi Flume	1 Set
Broad-crested Weir	1 Set
Parshall Flume	1 Set
Cut Throat Flume	1 Set
Bernoulli's Theorem Apparatus	1 Set
Center of Pressure Apparatus	1 Set
Orifice & Mouthpiece Unit	1 Set
Venturimeter Apparatus	1 Set
Pitot Static Tube Module	1 Set
Sharp-crested Weir	1 Set
Pipe Friction Apparatus	1 Set
Reynolds Number Apparatus	1 Set
V-notch Structure	1 Set

* Standard lab utility tools, measurement gauges, and glassware are fully stocked.

🛠️ Major Equipment Details & Functions

Sl.	Equipment	Functional Description
1	Tilting Flume	Used to investigate open-channel flow characteristics, including flow profiles, hydraulic jump, and flow beneath sluice gates under different bed slopes.
2	Hydraulic Bench	A self-contained water supply unit that supports a wide range of hydraulic and fluid mechanics experiments with controlled water circulation and flow measurement.
3	Bernoulli's Theorem Apparatus	Demonstrates the conservation of energy in flowing fluids and verifies Bernoulli's equation by measuring pressure head variations.
4	Center of Pressure Apparatus	Determines the hydrostatic force and center of pressure acting on submerged plane surfaces.
5	Venturimeter	Measures the discharge of water flowing through a pipe based on the pressure difference between converging and throat sections.
6	Reynolds Number Apparatus	Demonstrates laminar, transitional, and turbulent flow regimes and determines the Reynolds number for fluid flow in pipes.
7	Pipe Friction Apparatus	Evaluates head losses due to friction in pipe flow and verifies the relationship between flow rate and friction loss.
8	Orifice and Mouthpiece Apparatus	Determines the coefficients of discharge, velocity, and contraction for flow through orifices and mouthpieces.
9	Pitot-Static Tube	Measures fluid velocity by comparing stagnation and static pressures in flowing water.
10	Weirs and Flumes	Includes Sharp-Crested, V-Notch, Broad-Crested, Venturi, Parshall, and Cut-Throat structures used for discharge measurement and open-channel flow analysis.
11	Sluice Gate	Demonstrates flow beneath a gate, contraction of flow, fluid dynamic controls, and energy dissipation profiles in open channels.

🎓 Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this laboratory course, students will be able to:

Apply standard experimental methods to investigate the fundamental principles of fluid mechanics and open channel hydraulics.
Operate hydraulic benches, tilting flumes, and hydraulic testing equipment safely and accurately.
Measure and analyze key hydraulic parameters such as discharge, velocity, pressure, head loss, flow depth, and energy curves.
Interpret experimental results related to pipe flow, open channel flow, hydraulic structures, and flow measurement devices, and compare them with theoretical predictions.
Understand the practical applications of fluid mechanics and hydraulic engineering principles in the planning, design, and operation of water resources systems.
Prepare clear, well-organized laboratory reports by accurately recording observations, analyzing experimental data, and discussing sources of structural or measurement error.