Analysis of pressures on a stepped spillway

==Abstract==

The pressure profiles on the horizontal and vertical step faces of a stepped spillway in the fully developed skimming flow region were measured. These observations allow to provide generalized equations that enable designers to analyze the amount and the location of negative pressures along the steps. The step locations subjected to negative pressure are also discussed including an analysis of the duration of the negative pressures. On the horizontal step faces, negative pressure were only observed on their upstream half for dimensionless discharges larger than ''dc/h = 1.3''. On the vertical step faces, only the region close to the adjacent horizontal face was not subjected to negative pressure.