Stability analysis of automatic water level control gates in open-channels

The paper develops a frequency domain method to study the dynamic behavior of an automatic gate interacting with open-channels. These hydromechanical devices have the advantage to be autonomous, i.e. they do not necessitate electrical power, but they have been reported to oscillate with the canals pools in some cases. The paper uses a linear analysis to evaluate the stability of the interaction between the gate and the open-channels. The pools are modelled with linearized Saint-Venant equations in the frequency domain. The general case is first studied numerically, and closed-form analytical conditions are developed for specific cases. Such conditions could be used for the design of the gates to be installed in an open-channel.