Practical Hydraulics provides a novel introduction to the basic principles of hydraulics. Aimed primarily at the student, the author sets out to explain hydraulic phenomena by referring to the many everyday situations in which we encounter them. The text would appeal to undergraduate (and perhaps pre-university) students, and might prove useful for graduates on conversion courses from non-engineering backgrounds. It would be less suitable for the specialist engineer or as a stand-alone book for the practitioner: the detail required for design is not always provided and frequent pointers to other established sources of information could become frustrating for those tackling real engineering problems. In relation to this, although practical material is presented, the very general title Practical Hydraulics could be a little misleading; perhaps ‘Hydraulics for the layman' would be more appropriate.
The approach is to stimulate interest by referring to familiar concepts: the author presents a wealth of examples, from the explanation for nose bleeds at high altitude to the quickest way of stopping a super tanker. He also demonstrates a pragmatic approach, as illustrated in his comments regarding accuracy and engineering judgement – subjects that are rarely alluded to in text books.
Chapter 1 recaps the relevant physical concepts (force, momentum etc.) and other basics (e.g. units). Coverage of these might seem unnecessary, but the book is aimed at students; contact with any current undergraduate cohort will confirm the benefits of reiterating these concepts! The more confident or experienced reader might choose to omit this chapter.
Subsequent chapters provide fairly comprehensive coverage of the main expected subject areas (hydrostatics, hydrodynamics, pipe flow, open channel flow, etc.), although some issues (e.g. fittings losses) are dismissed after limited attention and progression from one sub-topic to another is sometimes unorthodox (e.g. ‘Designing dams' follows immediately after ‘Manometers'). Occasionally, statements are misleading (e.g. the suggestion that pipes always flow full), but generally the text is clear and easy to follow.
Chapter 6, on waves, which are undoubtedly one of the more complex issues in hydraulic engineering, could be a source of some confusion for the novice reader, as it moves swiftly from subject to subject with only the briefest coverage of each. Although the principal concepts are described, some fundamental terms are not mentioned. In line with the author's aims, mathematics is kept to a minimum. As a result, the chapter provides general information but would not be sufficient for design purposes. The average engineer might find that the definitions (e.g. of frequency and standard mathematical functions) in the main text of this chapter are somewhat unnecessary.
A later chapter on hydraulic structures describes the most commonly encountered structures and provides a useful explanation of the reasons for choosing one type over the other – a comparison given cursory attention in many introductory hydraulics books. Pumping is dealt with in some detail, but coverage of turbines is very brief.
In general, the text layout is good: for the less mathematically inclined, the principles are presented and the mathematical derivations are contained within stand-alone boxes, which may be disregarded at the reader's choice. There are plenty of illustrations, and most are clear and relevant. There is perhaps more than the normal quota of typographical errors; most are of little significance, but there are several (e.g. errors in units and an inaccurate diagram) that could be misleading and the worked example in Section 3·8 stops short of a solution. For an introductory textbook, the list of references is surprisingly brief.
The book finishes on an unusual and light-hearted note. The final chapter, ‘Bathtub hydraulics', covers a range of issues which are familiar to most, even if their hydraulic significance is not universally recognised. As a stand-alone chapter, it might spark an interest in hydraulics among those not already converted or, indeed, revive the interest of those who are mid-career. Although it has a few shortcomings, this book should be welcomed by the engineering profession: it is easy to read and the author's enthusiasm for the subject is clear to see.
