Anticipate Manning’s Coefficient in Meandering Compound Channels

Abstract

Estimating Manning’s roughness coefficient ( n ) is one of the essential factors in predicting the discharge in a stream. Present research work is focused on prediction of Manning’s n in meandering compound channels by using the Group Method of Data Handling Neural Network (GMDH-NN) approach. The width ratio ( α ) , relative depth ( β ) , sinuosity ( s ) , Channel bed slope ( S o ) , and meander belt width ratio ( ω ) are specified as input parameters for the development of the model. The performance of GMDH-NN is evaluated with two different machine learning techniques, namely the support vector regression (SVR) and multivariate adaptive regression spline (MARS) with various statistical measures. Results indicate that the proposed GMDH-NN model predicts the Manning’s n satisfactorily as compared to the MARS and SVR model. This GMDH-NN approach can be useful for practical implementation as the prediction of Manning’s coefficient and subsequently discharge through Manning’s equation in the compound meandering channels are found to be quite adequate.