Practitioners in water engineering rely on a thorough understanding of shallow water flows in order to safeguard our habitat, while at the same time sustaining the water environment. This book proposes a unified theoretical framework for the different types of shallow flow, providing a coherent approach to interpret the behaviour of such flows, and highlighting the similarities and differences. Every major topic in the book is accompanied by worked examples illustrating the theoretical concepts. Practical examples, showcasing inspiring research and engineering applications from the past and present, provide insight into how the theory developed. The book is also supplemented by a range of online resources, available at www.cambridge.org/battjes, including problem sets and computer codes. A solutions manual is available for instructors. This book is intended for students and professionals working in environmental water systems, in areas such as coasts, rivers, harbours, drainage, and irrigation canals.

Winner, 2017 Choice Outstanding Academic Title

'Unsteady Flow in Open Channels … is a modern and insightful introduction to flow phenomena in shallow channels. The book is highly pedagogical; explanations are kept as simple as possible, without loss of generality. Treatment of topics is concise and to the point; formulas are written in a way that makes their interpretation transparent. A major added value, in comparison to other textbooks, is the strong emphasis on the physical dynamics behind mathematical formulations. Much attention is given to the characteristic method, to explain phenomena related to the propagation of flow disturbances. The book also provides a good introduction to numerical solution methods of the shallow water equations. It is an excellent textbook for students, very well suited for academic teaching at undergraduate and graduate levels … It is also a useful handbook for hydraulic engineers; it contains many examples for practical use in hydraulic engineering …'

J. Dronkers - Netherlands Centre for Coastal Research

'The most interesting aspect of this book is the detailed descriptions of the governing equations and the solutions from the use of complex variables and the method of characteristics. The book provides a useful presentation of classical methods to solve the equations for the propagation of waves in rivers and estuaries. … A few Python programs are made available, and a range of online resources, including problem sets and computer codes, are also provided … In summary, Unsteady Flow in Open Channels is truly an excellent addition to the library. It provides a thorough mathematical treatment of wave propagation for a broad range of engineering problems. It is highly instructive and well-presented. The book is affordable to everyone, and its handy format makes it a most desirable classroom companion. It will be treasured by those who want to understand the main concepts of unsteady flow with a solid level of technical detail.'

Pierre Julien Source: Journal of Hydraulic Engineering