Last Rev.

: 11 JUN 08 Center of Pressure Lab : MIME 3470 Page 1

Grading Sheet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MIME 3470—Thermal Science Laboratory
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Laboratory №. 8
CENTER OF PRESSURE
Students’ Names  Section №
POINTS SCORE TOTAL
PRESENTATION—Applicable to Both MS Word and Mathcad Sections
GENERAL APPEARANCE, ORGANIZATION, ENGLISH, & GRAMMAR 5
ORDERED DATA, CALCULATIONS & RESULTS—MATHCAD
ON A SINGLEGRAPH, PLOT OF CP vs. h FOR ALL INCLINATIONS 25
ON SAME GRAPH, PLOT WETTED PLANE CENTROID vs. h 15
PERCENT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CALCULATED &
EXPERIMENTAL MOMENTS 10
DISCUSSION OF RESULTS
WHERE DOES CP LIE W.R.T. WETTED CENTROID, WHY? 10
WHEN DO THEY COINCIDE? 10
DERIVE ONLY KLINE-MCCLINCOCK UNCERTAINTY FOR CP 10
CONCLUSIONS 10
ORIGINAL DATASHEET 5
TOTAL 100
COMMENTS

GRADER— d
Last Rev.: 11 JUN 08 Center of Pressure Lab : MIME 3470 Page 2

MIME 3470—Thermal Science Laboratory R2

  y cos   h  dy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Laboratory №. 8
F  gB
h / cos  
CENTER OF PRESSURE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ R
 y2  2
LAB PARTNERS: NAME NAME  gB cos    hy 
NAME NAME  2  h / cos  
NAME NAME
SECTION №  R 2   h2 h 2  
EXPERIMENT TIME/DATE: TIME, DATE  gB  cos   2  hR2    cos    
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

2  
  2 cos 2
   cos    

OBJECTIVE—The purpose of this exercise is to experimentally
determine the center of pressure on a plane surface partially or  R 2 h2 
totally submerged in a liquid. The center of pressure is defined as F  gB cos   2  hR2  
2 cos   
(3)
the point of application of the resultant hydrostatic force applied 2
on the plane. As the pressure varies with the distance from the 
liquid free surface, the pressure center will not coincide with the Similarly, an expression for the moment is found by
centroid of the plane. Thus the experiment also compares the integrating Equation 2 between the same limits,
locations of the center of pressure with respect to the centroid. R2
M  gB   y cos   h  ydy
h / cos  
2 R
 y3 y2 
 gB cos  h 
 3 2 
h / cos  
O

R1 R2
 h
 R 3 R 2   h3 h2 
y  gB  cos  2  h 2    cos   h 
dF
Case 1 

3 2  
  3 cos 3
   2 cos 2
   

dy
 R23 R2 2 h3 
M  gB cos   h   (4)
R3  3 2 6 cos2   
O Case 2: Plane Fully Submerged (see Figure 1, Case 2)
R2
Integrate Equations 1 and 2 between the limits R1 and R2 to obtain
B is the width R1 h R
of the tank 
R2  y2  2
(into the page) F  gB   y cos    h  dy  gB cos    hy 
W R1  2  R
Cradle y 1
dF
 R 2   R2 
Plane surface for which  gB  cos  2  hR2    cos   1  hR1 
the resultant hydro-  2  
  2 

static force is desired dy 
Case 2
 cos 
 gB 
 2
 
R2 2  R12  h R2  R1  

Figure 1—Schema and Photo of Center of Pressure Apparatus
 cos 
THEORY—Refer to Figure 1, which contains a photograph and a
diagram of the experimental apparatus. In the figure, the differential F  gB  R2  R1    R2  R1   h (5)
force, dF, is acting on the differential area dA = B dy, where B is the
 2 
width of the tank. This differential force is defined by and
dF  g  y cos    h  dA R2 2 R
 y3 y2 
M  gB   y cos    h  ydy  gB cos   h 
 gB  y cos    h  dy
(1)
R1  3 2 
R1
and the moment of this differential force about point O, dM, is

dM  gB y cos   h ydy .    (2)  R 3 R 2
 gB  cos   2  h 2
  3
   cos   R1  h R1
2 

Case 1: Plane Partially Submerged (see Figure 1, Case 1)  3 2  
  3 2 


The force on the plane is found by integrating dF from h/cos() to R2.
 cos  
M  gB 
 h
 
R23  R13   R2 2  R12    
 3  2 
(6)
Last Rev.: 11 JUN 08 Center of Pressure Lab : MIME 3470 Page 3

THE CENTER OF PRESSURE LOCATION, MEASURED FROM POINT

O, CAN BE DETERMINED BY DIVIDING THE MOMENT BY THE
FORCE.
EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE—Water is contained in a qua-
drant of a semicircular tank assembly that it is allowed to rotate about
Point O (see Figure 1). The cylindrical sides of the tank have their axes
coincident with the center of rotation, Point O, of the tank assembly.
Therefore, the total fluid pressure acting on these surfaces exerts no
moment about that center. The only moment present is due to the fluid
pressure acting on the plane surface. This moment is measured
experimentally by applying weights, W, to a weight hanger mounted
on the semicircular assembly on the opposite side to the quadrant tank.
The moment-arm length for this weight is R3. A second tank, situated
on the same side of the assembly as the weight hanger provides a
trimming facility and allows different angles of equilibrium to be
achieved. The angular position of the plane, , and the distance to the
water’s surface, h, are measured respectively on a protractor scale
mounted on the tank and a linear scale on the back panel.
Last Rev.: 11 JUN 08 Center of Pressure Lab : MIME 3470
1. Before starting, be sure that the zero line on the back panel lines up
with the center of rotation and the zero degree line on the tank.
NOTE: The axle on which the experiment rotates was mounted
10mm too high and that amount should be added to h measurements.
2. Also, level the base plate.
3. With the quadrant tank empty, place a 50g weight on the weight
hanger. Pour water into the quadrant tank until zero balance is
reestablished. Record the weight and distance to the water’s free
surface, h.
4. Repeat this procedure increasing in 100g increments.
5. Empty the quadrant tank and remove all the weights.
6. Add water to the trimming tank until it balances at an angle
specified by the teaching assistant.
7. Repeat the Steps 3 through 5 for this new angle.
Page 4
In the report include the following:
Calculations
 Make a single plot of center of pressure (CP) measured from the
center of rotation, point O, versus distance to the water surface,
h, for all inclinations considered. On the same plot, graph the
centroid of the wetted surface from the center of rotation vs. h.
 Verify the calculated moment with the experimental moment
obtained from the weights by expressing the difference as a percent.
Discussion of Results
 Specify where does the center of pressure lie with respect to the
wetted centroid of the plane and why? In what case does one
expect them to coincide?
 Assuming that the only error in the measurements is incurred by
the measurement of the distance to the water’s free surface, just
derive an uncertainty analysis for the center of pressure
calculation for Case 2 using the Kline-McClintock method
presented in the Jet Impact experiment. There is a separate
downloadable file describing the Kline-McClintock method.
Last Rev.: 11 JUN 08 Center of Pressure Lab : MIME 3470 Page 5

ORDERED DATA, CALCULATIONS, and RESULTS

Last Rev.: 11 JUN 08 Center of Pressure Lab : MIME 3470 Page 6

DISCUSSION OF RESULTS CONCLUSIONS

Specify where does the center of pressure lie with respect to the
wetted centroid of the plane and why?
Answer
In what case does one expect them to coincide?
Answer

Assuming that the only error in the measurements is incurred by

the measurement of the distance to the water’s free surface, just
derive an uncertainty analysis for the center of pressure calculation
for Case 2 using the Kline-McClintock method presented in the Jet
Impact experiment.
Derive here using Equation Editor
Last Rev.: 11 JUN 08 Center of Pressure Lab : MIME 3470 Page 7

DATA SHEET FOR CENTER OF PRESSURE

Time/Date: ___________________

Lab Partners: _______________________ _______________________ _______________________

_______________________ _______________________ _______________________

Particulars of the Apparatus: Inner Radius, R1: ___________ cm Outer Radius, R2: ___________ cm

Lever Arm, R3: ___________ cm Inside Tank Width, B: ___________ cm

Smallest Graduation of Measure of Distance to Free Surface, h ___________ cm

Moment Data at Various Inclinations:
0º Inclination 10º Inclination
Mass Suspended Distance to Mass Suspended Distance to
from Hanger, m Free Surface, h from Hanger, m Free Surface, h
(g) (cm) (g) (cm)

d
d
d
d
d
d
d
d
d
d
20º Inclination 30º Inclination
Mass Suspended Distance to Mass Suspended Distance to
from Hanger, m Free Surface, h from Hanger, m Free Surface, h
(g) (cm) (g) (cm)

d
d
d
d
d
d
d
d
d
d