Fluid Mechanics

Introduction
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Stress

Cengel
GENERAL STATE OF STRESS AT A POINT
 SOLIDS

Shear strain,
x

y

Shear stress,
τ 
  G 

G, known as the shear modulus

Courtesy : Introduction To Fluid Mechanics, Edward J. Shaughnessy

If similar blocks of steel and aluminum were subjected to
the same shear stress, the displacement in the aluminum
block would be more than three times as large as that in
the steel block. That is, steel is “stiffer” (experiences less
deflection per unit stress) than aluminum.
 Now imagine that a fluid sample is placed in our
imaginary shear testing device

• The fluid will continue to deform no matter how small the

applied shear stress.
• The upper plate will move faster if the tangential force is
increased.
• A fluid resists being sheared, but its underlying molecular
structure does not allow it to prevent the resulting
deformation.

Instead of having a proportionality between shear stress

and shear strain, a fluid exhibits a relationship between
shear stress and the shear strain rate, 𝒅𝜸/𝒅𝒕.
FLUIDS

Shear stress,
d
τ
dt
d
  Equation 1
dt

μ is known as the shear modulus

for a fluid
• μ, is a fluid property known as the absolute or dynamic
viscosity. Equation 1 is known as Newton’s law of viscosity

• A fluid that obeys this equation is termed a Newtonian

fluid.

• If you subjected two Newtonian fluids to the same shear

stress, the one with the higher viscosity would exhibit a
lower shear strain rate. If two Newtonian fluids are
subject to the same strain rate, the one with the higher
viscosity will have a higher shear stress.
No-slip Condition
• All experimental observations indicate that a fluid in
motion comes to a complete stop at the surface and
assumes a zero velocity relative to the surface
Fast
Belt

SlowB
elt

Fast
Belt

SlowB
elt
• The flow region adjacent to the wall in which the
velocity gradient is present is called the boundary
layer.
When a fluid is tested in the device described in Figure (above) the displacement x and the
corresponding shear strain γ increase linearly with time. For a fluid, the relationship between
shear stress and shear strain is

d
 
dt
 Deformation of a fluid element
At a time t At a time t + δt

l

y
 l  l  1 u
   
t y  t  t  y y
 Velocity gradient is equal to rate of shear strain

d du

dt dy

For linear velocity profile

du u
  u u
2 1
dy y y y
2 1
Assuming a linear variation of velocity (Linear velocity profile)

Velocity gradient,
u
 u u
2 1

U 0 U

y y y y y
2 1

In this situation, the fluid velocity in the x direction, u, is a function of the y

coordinate. That is, u(y) varies linearly from 0 at the bottom plate to U at the top
plate.

For a general case,

𝑑𝑢
Velocity gradient =
𝑑𝑦
Fluid Properties : Viscosity
oViscosity is a fluid property whose effect is understood
when the fluid is in motion.
oDifferent fluids deform at different rates under the same
shear stress.
oNo-slip condition results in velocity gradient.
 Coefficient of Dynamic Viscosity, μ

• Can be defined as the shear stress required to produce

unit rate of shear strain.
• Units: Ns/m2, or Pa.s
• CGS unit : dyne-s/cm2 (poise)

10 poise = 1 Ns/m2

• The dynamic viscosity of water is 1.002 x 10-3 Pa.s at

20o C or ~ 1 centipoise.
Kinematic viscosity, υ
• Kinematic Viscosity, is defined as the ratio of dynamic
viscosity to mass density.
υ  /r

• Units: m2/s Dimensions: L2T-1

• υ is often expressed in Stokes, St ( cm2/s)

104 St = 1m2/s

• The kinematic viscosity of water is 1.004 x 10-6 m2 /s

at 20o C or ~ 1 centistoke.