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An open-channel experimental set-up is presented in this paper as a tool for examining the presence of instabilities on free-surfaces flows of non-Newtonian fluid. When these flows occur in favorable conditions of inclination, discharge and rheological properties, the propagation of instabilities can evolve into a specific type of wave, known as roll waves. The experimental apparatus developed allows study of stabilized roll waves in many scenarios for non-Newtonian rheology fluids, thereby constituting a highly useful tool for the understanding and control of roll waves. The test fluid used in the experiments was carbopol gel which is rheometrically representative of the muddy material from natural disasters, such as mudflows. Two non-intrusive level measurement systems are proposed (ultrasonic transducer and laser-based absorption technique), and the efficiency of each technique is presented and discussed. Both methods presented relatively low-cost implementation, and calibration procedure assured the quality of the results. The results from the experimental set-up were in agreement in shape and amplitude.