Skip to main content

Characteristics and Finite-Difference Methods

  • Chapter
Applied Hydraulic Transients

Abstract

We demonstrated in Chapter 2 that the equations describing the transient flow in closed conduits are hyperbolic, partial differential equations, and discussed a number of numerical methods available for their solution. The details of the method of characteristics [Lister, 1960; Streeter and Lai, 1962; Perkins et al. 1964; Abbott, 1966, Evangelisti, 1969; Gray, 1953] are presented in this chapter.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 99.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 139.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Abbott, M. B., 1966, An Introduction to the Method of Characteristics, American Elsevier, New York, NY.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chaudhry, M. H. and Portfors, E. A., 1973, “A Mathematical Model for Analyzing Hydraulic Transients in a Hydroelectric Power Plant,” Proc. First Canadian Hydraulic Conference, published by the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada, May, pp. 298-314.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chaudhry, M. H. and Yevjevich, V. (eds.), Closed-Conduit Flow, Water Resources Publications, Littleton, Co.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chaudhry, M. H., 1982, “Numerical Solution of Transient-Flow Equations,” Proc. Hydraulic Specailty Conf., Amer. Soc. of Civil Engrs., Jackson, MS, Aug., pp. 633-656.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chaudhry, M. H. and Hussaini, M. Y., 1983, “Second-Order Explicit Methods for Transient-Flow Analysis,” in Numerical Methods for Fluid Transient Analysis, C. S. Martin and M. H. Chaudhry (eds.), Amer. Soc. of Mech. Engrs., New York, pp. 9-15.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chaudhry, M. H. and Holloway, M. B., 1984, “Stability of Method of Characteristics,” Proc. Hydraulics Division Specialty Conf., Amer. Soc. Civil Engrs., Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, Aug., pp. 216-220.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chaudhry, M. H. and Hussaini, M. Y., 1985, “Second-Order Accurate Explicit Finite-difference Schemes for Waterhammer Analysis,” Jour. of Fluids Engineering, vol. 107, Dec., pp. 523-529.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chaudhry, M. H. and Mays, L. W., 1994, (eds.), Computer Modeling of Free-Surface and Pressurized Flows,, Kluwer, the Netherlands, 741 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chaudhry, M. H., 2008, Open-Channel Flow, 2nd. ed., Springer, New York, NY, 523 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Collatz, L., 1960, The Numerical Treatment of Differential Equalions, Third ed., Springer, Berlin, Germany.

    Google Scholar 

  • Evangelisti, G., 1969, “Waterhammer Analysis by the Method of Characteristics,” L’Energia Elettrica, Nos. 10-12, pp. 673-692, 759-770,839-858.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fischer, S. G., 1973, “The Westinghouse Leading Edgc Ultrasonic Flow Measurement System,” presented at the Spring Meeting, Amer. Soc. of Mech. Engrs., Boston, May.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldberg, D. E. and Wylie, E. B., 1983, “Characteristics Method Using Time-Line Interpolation,” Jour. Hydraulic Engineering, Amer. Soc. Civil Engrs., May, pp. 670-683.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gray, C. A. M., 1954, “Analysis of Water Hammer by Characteristics,” Trans. of Amer. Soc. of Civil Engrs., vol. 119, pp. 1176-1194.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holloway, M. B. and Chaudhry, M. H., 1985, “Stability and Accuracy of Waterhammer Analysis,” Advances in Water Resources, vol. 8, Sept., pp. 121-128.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaplan, M., Belonogoff, G. and Wentworth, R. C., 1972, “Economic Methods for Modelling Hydraulic Transient Simulation,” Proc. First Inlernalional Conference on Pressure Surges, Canterbury, England, published by British Hydromechanics Research Assoc., Sept., pp. A-33 - A4-38.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lister, M., 1960 “The Numerical Solution of Hyperbolic Partial Differential Equations by the Method of Characteristics,” in Mathematical Methods for Digital Computers, edited by Ralston, A. and Wiley, H. S., John Wiley & Sons, New York, Chap. 15.

  • O’Brien, G. G., Hyman, M. A. and Kaplan, S., 1951, “A Study of the Numerical Solution of Panial Differential Equations,” Jour. Math. and Physics, No. 29, pp. 223-251.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parmakian, J., Waterhammer Analysis, Dover Publications, Inc., New York, NY.

    Google Scholar 

  • Perkins, F. E., Tedrow, A. C., Eagleson, P. S. and Ippen, A. T., 1964, Hydro-Power Plant Transients, Part II, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Hydrodynamics Lab. Report No. 71, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sept.

    Google Scholar 

  • Portfors, E. A. and Chaudhry, M. H., 1972, “Analysis and Prototype Verifications of Hydraulic Transients in Jordan River Power Plant,” Proc. First International Conference on Pressure Surges, Canterbury, British Hydromechanics Research Assoc., September, pp. E4-57 to E4-72.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rachford, H. H. and Todd, D., 1974, “A Fast, Highly Accurate Means of Modeling Transient Flow in Gas Pipeline Systems by Variational Methods,” Jour. Soc. of Petroleum Engrs., April, pp. 165-175. (See also Discussion by Stoner, M. A., and Authors’ Reply, pp. 175-178.)

    Google Scholar 

  • Reddy, H. P., Silva-Araya, W. and Chaudhry, M. H., 2012, “Estimation of Decay Coefficients for Unsteady Friction for Instantaneous, Acceleration-Based Models” Jour. Hydraulic Engineering, vol. 138, no. 3, pp. 260-271.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, G. D., 1978, Numerical Solution of Partial Differential Equations, Second ed., Clarendon Press, Oxford, England.

    Google Scholar 

  • Streeter, V. L. and Lai, C., 1962, “Waterhammer Analysis Including Fluid Friction,” Jour. Hyd. Div., Amer. Soc. of Civ. Engrs., May, pp. 79-112.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tournès, D., 2003, “Junius Massau et Lintégration Graphique,” Revue d’histoire des mathématiques, vol. 9, pp. 181-252.

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  • Vardy, A. E., 1977, “On the Use of the Method of Characteristics for the Solution of Unsteady Flows in Networks,” Proc. Second International Conf. on Pressure Surges, British Hydromechanics Research Assoc., Bedford, England.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wiggert, D. C. and Sundquist, M. J., 1977, “On the Use of Fixed Grid Characteristics for Pipeline Transients,” Jour. Hyd. Div., Amer. Soc. of Civil Engrs., vol. 103, Dec., pp. 1403-1416.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wylie, E. B., Streeter, V. L. and Stoner, M. A., 1974, “Unsteady-State Natural Gas Transient Calculations in Complex Pipe Systems,” Jour. Soc. of Pelroleum Engrs., Feb., pp. 35-43.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wylie, E. B., 1976, “Transient Aquifer Flows by Characteristics Method,” Jour. Hyd. Div., Amer. Soc. of Civil Engrs., vol. 102, March, pp. 293-305.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wylie, E. B., 1983, “Advances in the Use of MOC in Unsteady Pipeline Flow,” Fourth International Conf. on Pressure Surges, British Hydromechanics Research Assoc., Bath, England, Sept. 21-23, pp. 27-37.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wylie, E. B., 1983, “The Microcomputer and Pipeline Transients,” Jour. Hydraulic Engineering, Amer. Soc. Civil Engrs. Proc. Paper No. 18453, Vol. 109, No. 12, Dec., pp. 1723-1739.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wylie, E. B., and Streeter, V. L. 1983, Fluid Transients, FEB Press, Ann Arbor, Mich..

    Google Scholar 

  • Yow, W., 1972, “Numerical Error on Natural Gas Transient Calculations,” Trans. Amer. Soc. of Mech. Engrs., vol. 94, Series D, no. 2, pp. 422-428.

    Google Scholar 

  • Additional References

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown, F. T., 1968, “A Quasi Method of Characteristics with Application to Fluid Lines with Frequency Dependent Wall Shear and Heat Transfer,” Paper No. 68-WA/ Aut.-7, Amer. Soc. of Mech. Engrs., Dec.

    Google Scholar 

  • Contractor, D. N., 1965, “The Reflection of Waterhammer Pressure Waves from Minor Losses,” Trans. Amer. Soc. Mech. Engrs., vol. 87, Series D, June.

    Google Scholar 

  • Evangelisti, G., 1966, “On the Numerical Solution of the Equation of Propagalion by the Method of Characteristics,” Meccanica, vol. 1, No. 1/2, pp. 29-36.

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  • Fox, J. A. and Henson, D. A., 1971, “The Prediction of the Magnitudes of Pressure Transients Generated by a Train Entering a Single Tunnel,” Proc., Institution of Civil Engrs., Paper 7365, vol. 49, May, pp. 53-69.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miyashiro, H., 1967, “Waterhammer Analysis of Pump System,” Bull. Japan Soc. of Mech. Engrs., vol. 10, No. 42, pp. 952-958.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Proc. Pressure Surge Conferences, Proceedigs of British Hydromechanics Research, First, 1972; Second, 1977; Third,1980; Fourth, 1983; Fifith, 1986; Sixth, 1989; Seventh, 1992; Eighth, 1995; Nineth, 2004; Tenth, 2008; Eleventh, 2012.

    Google Scholar 

  • Symposium 1965, Waterhammer in Pumped Storage Projects, Chicago, Nov., Amer. Soc. of Mech. Engrs.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2014 Author

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Chaudhry, M.H. (2014). Characteristics and Finite-Difference Methods. In: Applied Hydraulic Transients. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-8538-4_3

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-8538-4_3

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-8537-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-8538-4

  • eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics