BS ISO TR 8363-1997 (1999) PDF

Full title and description

STB BS ISO TR 8363-1997 (1999) — Measurement of liquid flow in open channels — General guidelines for selection of method. This document is the national/British adoption of ISO/TR 8363:1997 and provides high-level guidance to help practitioners choose appropriate hydrometric methods (velocity–area, floats, moving‑boat, ultrasonic, electromagnetic, flumes/weirs and related procedures) for measuring discharge in open channels.

Abstract

This technical report summarizes the principles and practical considerations for selecting measurement methods for liquid flow in open channels. It explains the main families of methods (velocity–area using stationary meters, moving‑boat and float methods, ultrasonic and electromagnetic techniques, and structure‑based methods such as weirs and flumes) and gives guidance on applicability, limitations and expected use cases to aid selection of the most suitable approach for a site or project.

General information

• Status: For the ISO document: Withdrawn. For the British adoption (BS): Superseded.
• Publication date: ISO/TR edition published September 1997; British adoption (BS ISO TR 8363) published by BSI 15 February 1998 (note: some catalog listings refer to a 1999 listing/adoption).
• Publisher: International Organization for Standardization (ISO) / British Standards Institution (BSI) for the national adoption.
• ICS / categories: 17.120.20 (Hydrometry / Measurement of liquid flow in open channels).
• Edition / version: Edition 1 (ISO/TR 8363:1997); adopted text carried as BS ISO TR 8363:1997.
• Number of pages: ISO/TR original: 7 pages; the BSI published/adopted text is listed with 16 pages in BSI catalogue entries.

Scope

The report provides general guidelines to assist selection of an appropriate method for measuring liquid flow (discharge) in open channels. It is intended to be a high‑level decision aid rather than a detailed procedural standard, covering when and why particular methods (velocity–area with current meters, moving‑boat, floats, ultrasonic transit-time, electromagnetic induction, and structure-based methods such as weirs and flumes) are suitable, including brief notes on their principles, advantages, limitations and practical considerations for field application.

Key topics and requirements

• Overview of measurement method families and their operating principles (velocity–area, moving‑boat, floats, ultrasonic, electromagnetic, flumes/weirs).
• Guidance on applicability and limitations of each method depending on channel conditions, flow regime and available equipment.
• Criteria for selecting methods based on accuracy needs, site accessibility, channel geometry and budget.
• Considerations for installation, calibration, sampling and measurement uncertainty (high‑level).
• References and cross‑links to related ISO/BS standards that provide detailed procedures for specific measurement techniques.

Typical use and users

Used as a reference decision guide by hydrologists, water‑resources engineers, environmental agencies, river gauging organizations, consultants and researchers to decide which measurement method or combination of methods is most appropriate for a gauging site or monitoring programme. It is typically consulted during planning, design of gauging stations and when establishing field measurement campaigns.

Related standards

Key related and successor standards include ISO 18365:2013 / BS EN ISO 18365:2013 (Selection, establishment and operation of a gauging station) which supersedes earlier guidance, and other technique‑specific standards such as ISO 8368 (structures), ISO 1100‑2 (stage‑discharge relations), ISO 748 (current‑meter methods) and ISO 9825 (field measurement of discharge). The British adoption superseded older BS guidance such as BS 3680‑3G:1990.

Keywords

Hydrometry, open channel flow, discharge measurement, velocity–area, current‑meter, moving boat method, floats, ultrasonic, electromagnetic, weirs, flumes, gauging station, method selection.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: It is ISO/TR 8363 (1997) — a technical report giving general guidelines for selecting methods to measure liquid flow in open channels; the text was adopted as BS ISO TR 8363:1997 for national use.

Q: What does it cover?

A: High‑level guidance on the principles, applicability and selection criteria for a range of open‑channel flow measurement methods (velocity–area, moving‑boat, floats, ultrasonic, electromagnetic and structure‑based methods such as weirs and flumes). It is not a step‑by‑step procedural manual for each technique.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Hydrologists, water resources and environmental engineers, national and regional gauging organisations, consultants and researchers who need to decide which measurement approach is appropriate for specific sites or monitoring objectives.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: The ISO technical report (ISO/TR 8363:1997) is listed as withdrawn; the British adoption (BS ISO TR 8363) is superseded and has been replaced by later standards, notably ISO 18365:2013 / BS EN ISO 18365:2013. Users should refer to the later standards for current, detailed requirements.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: It sits within the ISO hydrometry family of documents (e.g., ISO 748, ISO 8368, ISO 1100 series, ISO 9825) and is a TR (technical report) intended to guide method selection rather than provide a single prescriptive measurement method.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Hydrometry, open channel, discharge measurement, velocity–area, gauging station, weir, flume, ultrasonic, electromagnetic, moving‑boat.