UNIVERSITY OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY, TAXILA

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

Assignment #

Course Title :

Course Teacher :

Name :

Registration No : 19-ME-

Section : C
Date : 19-10-2020
 EXPERIMENT 3

TO DETERMINE METACENTRIC HEIGHT OF A

FLOATING BODY

THEORY:

METACENTER:

When a floating body is given a small displacement, it will rotate about a point, so the
point at which body rotate is called metacenter.

The intersection of the lines passing through the original center of buoyaney and center of
gravity of the body and the vertical line through the new center of buoyaney.

METACENTRIC HEIGHT:

The distance between the center of gravity of a floating body and a metacenter is called
metacentric height.

As a matter of fact, the metacentric height of a floating body is a direct measure of its
stability. Or in other words, the more height of a floating body, more the stability.
In the modern design orifices, the metacentric height of a floating boat or ship is
accurately calculated to check its stability.

Some value of metacentric heights is given below:

Merchant Ships = up to 1.0m

Sailing Ships = up to 1.5m

Battle ships = up to 2.0m

River craft = up to 3.5m

METHODS TO FIND METACENTRIC HEIGHT:

It is necessary for the stability of a floating body, if metacenter is above center of gravity
body will be stable because the restoring couple produced will shift the body to its original
position.

EXPERIMENTAL METHODS FOR METACENTRIC HEIGHT:

The metacentric height of a floating body, may also be found out by experimentally
provided the center of gravity of the floating body is known.

Let all the weight on the ship be arranged in such away that the ship is perfectly horizontal
as shown in figure.
Let,

W = weight of the ship

G = center of gravity

The affect of moving load w to the right, through the distance d, will cause a clockwise
couple, whose moment is;

Mc = w. d 1

The weight of the ship w and the force of buoyancy will form an anti-clock wise couple,
whose moment is;

MA = W. GM. Tan0 2

Since, these two moments are equal and opposite in direction.

MA = MC

W. GM. Tan0 = w. d

or

GM = w. d / W Tan0

Where GM = Metacentric height

 W = specific weight

EXPERIMENTAL SESSION:

APPARATUS:

1. Water tank
2. Ship model
3. Metacentric height apparatus
4. Scale or measuring tube
PROCEDURE:

I. First of all I adjust the moveable weight along the vertical rod at a certain position
and measure the distance of center of gravity by measuring tube.
II. Then I brought the body in the water and changed the horizontal moving load
distance first toward right.
III. The piston titled and suspended rod give the angle of head a. Note the angle for
respected displacement.
IV. I did the same procedure for movable mass by changing its position towards lefts.
V. Then, I took the body from water tube and find another center of gravity by
changing the position of vertical moving road.
VI. I again brought the body in the water tube and find the angle of head, by first
keeping the moveable load towards right and then towards left
VII. Repeated the above procedure for another center of gravity.
VIII. By, using the formulas, we find the metacentric height.

APPLICATIONS:

I. To find the metacenter and metacentric height of floating bodies.

II. To find the stability of Merchant ship, sailing ship, river craft etc.
Conclusion:
From the experiment we conclude that how to find the metacentric height of
floating body.
OBSERVATIONS AND CALCULATIONS: