ABSTRACT
Hydraulic measurements are affected by the randomness of the observed physical phenomena and by errors occurring during various phases of the experimental process. Since randomness and experimental error are unavoidable, margins of uncertainty usually surround the true value of a measured result. Uncertainty analysis (UA) is a practical procedure for rigorously addressing the variability and the error sources affecting the measurement process. The primary product of UA is an interval around a determined result, within which the true value is thought to lie; the interval is determined with a certain degree of confidence. This chapter provides an overview of judiciously selected standards and demonstrating how such standards can be successfully applied for assessment of the measurement uncertainty in hydraulic studies. Currently, there are a handful of UA implementation examples for hydraulic engineering applications conducted with standardized methodologies such as Guide to Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement (GUM).
