CHAPTER 7 - HYDROSTATICS

7.1 INTRODUCTION

So far in this module we have treated the action of forces on and between solid bodies. In this
chapter we consider the equilibrium of bodies subjected to forces due to fluid pressures. A fluid is
any continuous substance which, when at rest, is unable to support shear force. A shear force is
one tangent to the surface on which it acts and is developed when differential velocities exist
between adjacent layers of fluids. Thus, a fluid at rest can exert only normal forces on a bounding
surface. Fluids may be either gaseous or liquid. The statics of fluids is generally called hydrostatics
when the fluid is liquid and aerostatics when the fluid is a gas.

Lesson outcomes for this chapter

After studying the material, you should be able to:

• Define the term “hydrostatics”.

• Define and determine density, relative density, specific weight and pressure.
• Determine forces and pressures on submerged surfaces.
• Determine the resultant force on a rectangular gate and on a dam wall.
7.2 DENSITY

It is important to have a clear understanding of the difference between mass and weight. The
essential difference is that mass represents the amount of matter in a body, which is constant, so
mass stays the same everywhere in the universe, while weight varies according to the local value
of gravity since 𝑊 = 𝑚𝑔.

Density 𝜌 is the relationship between the mass, m, of a substance and its volume (𝑉), and is defined
as amass per unit volume of a matter:
mass
Density = volume

𝑚
𝜌=
𝑉

Example 7.1
1 m3 of water has a mass of 1 000 kg at 4° C therefore the density of water is:

1 000 kg/m3

Example 7.2
1 m3 mercury (Hg) has a mass of approximately 13 600 kg therefore the density of mercury is:

13 600 kg/m3
7.3 RELATIVE DENSITY

The relative density of a material is measured by means of a reference material. Relative density
is a nondimensional number which gives density of any substance in relation to another and is
expressed as follows:

Density of material
Relative density =
Density of reference material

7.4 SPECIFIC WEIGHT

Specific weight is sometimes used instead of relative density, which gives the same answer
although in the one case a comparison between densities are made and in the other case a
comparison between weights are made of the relevant material.

Usually the material’s weight is compared with the weight of water, which is define as follows:

Weight of a calculated volume of material

Specific weight =
Weight of the same volume of water

Example 7.3
1 000 kg/m3
Relative density of water =
1 000 kg/m3

= 1,0

Specific weight of water is = 1,0

Example 7.4
13 600 kg/m3
Relative density of mercury =
1 000 kg/m3

= 13,6

Specific weight of mercury = 13,6

7.5 PRESSURE

The density of fresh water (𝜌) is 1000kg/m3. This can be thought of as the mass density of the
water, since it gives the mass per unit volume. Alternatively, it can be said that this is the weight
(𝑊) per unit volume.

𝑚
If we take 𝑊 = 𝑚𝑔 (where 𝑔 = 9.81 𝑚/𝑠²) and 𝜌 = 𝑉

Weight density 𝑤 (which is not per unit volume) can then be expressed as:

𝑊 𝑚𝑔
𝑤= or 𝑤 = or 𝑤 = 𝜌𝑔
𝑉 𝑉

Thus, the weight density of water is 1000 × 9,81 𝑁/𝑚³ = 9810 𝑁/𝑚³ and every cubic meter
of water weigh 1000 kg (1 tonne), which is 9810 N per cubic meter.

Imagine a large body of fresh water. Then consider a column of the liquid with a plan area of 1m²
extending from the surface all the way to the bottom, as in the figure below.

1m²

water

h
Now, suppose we draw horizontal lines at one metre intervals from the surface, so that the column
is effectively separated into cubes with a volume of 1 m³. Every cube weighs 9,81 x 10³ N.

1m² P0=0

1m P1= 1 x 9810 N/m²

h

1m P2= 2 x 9810 N/m²

d

1m P3= 3 x 9810 N/m²

Pd= d x 9810 N/m²

Since the pressure on the base of each of the cubes is equal to the weight of all the cubes above it
divided by 1m² (𝑃𝐴𝑉 = 𝑊/𝐴), it can be seen that the pressure increases uniformly with depth.
Similarly, if the column of liquid has a total depth, d, then the total weight of all the cubes is 9,81
x 10³ x d N. Dividing this by 1m² to obtain the pressure on the base of the column gives 9,81 x 10³
x d N/m². Therefore, at any depth, ℎ, below the water surface the pressure is:

𝑃 = 𝑔ℎ
This equation shows that there is a linear relationship between pressure, or pressure intensity, and
depth. This pressure–depth relationship can be drawn graphically to obtain a pressure intensity
diagram:

Surface

Atmospheric
pressure = 0

P = gh

This diagram shows the pressure intensity on a vertical surface that is immersed in a static liquid
and which has the same height, h, as the depth of water.

The arrows can be thought of as vectors: they are drawn at 90° to the surface indicating the
direction in which the pressure acts, while the length of the arrow indicates the relative magnitude
of the pressure intensity. The relationship described by equation 𝑃 = 𝑔ℎ is very useful; it can be
used to determine the pressure at any known depth, or alternatively, to calculate the depth from a
known pressure.
7.6 FORCES ON SUBMERGE SURFACES:

Looking at forces working on submerged surfaces, we have the following equation:

Pressure on a certain depth = density x gravitational constant x depth

𝑃 = 𝑔ℎ

As seen previously, pressure is directly proportional to the height, because the gravitational
constant 𝑔 and the height ℎ are constant.

If we look at body of water in a container (like a dam) it is very difficult to work with all the
individual pressures that are working on the sides of this container.

To simplify this, we work with the resultant force 𝑅 working on the area 𝐴 of the sides.

R A

The average pressure will then be:

Magnitude of the force on the area

Average pressure =
Magnitude of the area

𝑅
𝜌=
𝐴

From which follows:

𝑅 = 𝜌·𝐴

Thus, the resultant force is a pressure multiplied by an area.

7.7 RESULTANT FORCE ON RECTANGULAR GATE

Since pressure varies with depth, on a vertical surface such as the gate in the figure below, the
pressure at the top of the gate is 𝑔ℎ1 .

h1
hG gh1

hinge h2
sewer G G D

gh2
L
sluice gate
Pressure intensity
Side view Front view diagram

At the bottom of the gate the pressure is 𝑔ℎ2 . Hence the average pressure on the gate is:

(𝑔ℎ1 + 𝑔ℎ2 )
𝑃𝐴𝑉 =
2

If we multiply this by the area of the gate in contact with the water, 𝐴, we get the force, 𝐹:

(ℎ1 + ℎ2 )
𝐹 = 𝜌𝑔 [ ]𝐴
2

(ℎ1 +ℎ2 )
For a rectangle, is the depth to the centre of the area, that is the vertical depth to the centroid,
2

𝐺, of the immersed surface. This depth is represented by ℎ𝐺 , so the expression for the resultant
hydrostatic force, 𝐹, becomes:

𝐹 = 𝜌𝑔ℎ𝐺 𝐴

𝐹 in this case is then also the resultant force 𝑅 working on the gate, where:

𝐴 = 𝐿×𝐷
 𝐷
ℎ = ℎ𝐺 or (if the top of the gate is on the top of the water)
2
With more complex problems, like that in the figure above, there is no simple rule to give the
location of 𝑅, but if ℎ𝑅 is the vertical depth to the centre of pressure then this can be calculated
from:

ℎ𝑅 = (𝐼𝐺 𝐴ℎ𝐺 ) + ℎ𝐺

where the value in the brackets gives the vertical distance of 𝑅 below the vertical depth to the
centroid of the surface, ℎ𝐺 . The appropriate expression for the second moment of area calculated
about an axis through the centroid, 𝐼𝐺 , can be found from table 7-1 below:

Table 7-1:Second moment of area for basic shapes

Shape Dimensions Location of centroid 𝑮 Second moment of area 𝑰𝑮

Breadth 𝐿
𝐷 𝐿𝐷3
Rectangle from base
2
Height 𝐷 12

Base length 𝐿
𝐷 𝐿𝐷3
Square from base
3
Height 𝐷 36

𝜋𝑟 4
Circle Radius 𝑟 Centre of circle
4

4𝑟
Semi-circle Radius 𝑟 0,1102𝑟 4
3𝜋
 Example 7.5
A rectangular gate is 2m wide and 3m high. It hangs vertically with its top edge 1m below the
water surface.

(a) Calculate the pressure at the bottom of the gate.

(b) Calculate the resultant hydrostatic force on the gate.

(c) Determine the depth at which the resultant force acts.

Water surface

1m

hG hR

3m G

2m

(a) 𝑃 = 𝑔ℎ
Therefore P = 1000 x 9,81 x ( 3+1 )
= 39,24 x 103 N/m2
(b) 𝑅 = 𝑔ℎ𝐺 𝐴
hG = (1+3/2) m = 2,50 m
A = 2 x 3 m² = 6 m²
R = 1000 x 9,81 x 2,50 x 6
= 147,15 x 103 N
(c) ℎ𝑅 = (𝐼𝐺 𝐴ℎ𝐺 ) + ℎ𝐺

𝐿𝐷 3
IG = 12
 = 2 x 33 /12 = 4,50 m4
hR =(4,50/6 x 2,50) + 2,50
= 2,80 m (from surface)
7.8 RESULTANT FORCE ON DAM WALL

If we consider a dam as in the figure below, the pressure intensity diagram is triangular since the
gauge pressure (pressure relative to atmospheric pressure) varies from zero (atmospheric pressure)
at the surface, to 𝑔ℎ at the bottom. This pressure occurs at 𝐺, halfway between the water surface
and the bottom of the dam.

Atmospheric
pressure = 0
Surface

hG
Dam wall

h
G

P = gh

The 𝑦-coordinate of the centroid of a triangle is on a third from the bottom of the triangle thus the
resultant force acts horizontally through the centroid of the pressure intensity diagram at a height
ℎ
𝐻 of from the bottom.
3

The resultant 𝑅 itself can be calculated by multiplying the area of the triangle by the area of the
body of water (into the paper, i.e. 𝑧-coordinate):

𝑅 = 0,5𝜌𝑔ℎ𝐺 𝐴

= 0,5𝜌𝑔ℎ2 𝑊
Use the surface area 𝐴 when the dam wall is not perpendicular on the ground.

If the width is not mentioned, calculations should be done with 𝑊= 1 m (i.e. 𝑊 falls away).
7.9 EXAMPLES

Example 7.6
Calculate the resultant force on the side of the bucket if the water is 3m and 9m deep.

9m

3m

Solution:

For 3m:

Pressure =  g h Point load = Area of load

= 9,81 x 1 000 x 3 R = ½ bh

= 29 430 N/m2 = 0,5 x 29 430 x 3

= 29,430 kN/m2 = 44 145,000 N/m

For 9m:

Pressure =  g h Point load = Area of load

= 9,81 x 1 000 x 9 R = ½ bh

= 88 290 N/m2 = 0,5 x 88 290 x 9

 = 88,290 kN/m2 = 397 145,000 N/m

Example 7.7
A lock on a canal is sealed by a gate that is 3.0 m wide. The gate is perpendicular to the sides of
the lock. When the lock is used there is water on one side of the gate to a depth of 3.5m, and 2.0m
on the other side.

(a) What is the hydrostatic force of the two sides of the gate?

(b) At what height from the bed do the two forces act?

(c) What is the magnitude of the overall resultant hydrostatic force on the gate and at what height
does it act?

Solution:

Gate

3,5m
R
R1 2m
LR R2
L1
L2

(a) Using R = 0,5 gh2·W

R1 = 0,5 x 1000 x 9,81 x (3,5)2 x 3
= 180,26 x 103 N

R2 = 0,5 x 1000 x 9,81 x (2,0)2 x 3

= 58,86 x 103 N
(b) Since both pressure intensity diagrams are triangular, both forces act at one third depth
from the bed:

L1 = (3,5 / 3 ) = 1,17m
L2 = (2,0 / 3 ) = 0,67m

(c) Overall resultant force R = R1 – R2

R = 180,26 x 103 - 58,86 x 103

= 121,40 x 103 N

Taking moments about O to get the height of the resultant

121,40 x 103 x LR = + 180,26 x 103 x 1,17 _ 58,86 x 103 x 0,67

121,40 x 103 x LR = 171,47 x 103

171,47 x 10 3
LR = 121,40 x 10
3

LR = 1,41 m
 Example 7.8
Determine the reaction forces at A and B for a sluice gate in a canal per meter width

A
Water surface

2/3 x 1,8m
1,8 m

R
1/3 x 1,8m P=gh

Solution:

Force diagram:

A
HA

1,2 m

R
0,6 m
HB
B
Calculate the point load R caused by the water pressure on the sluice gate:

R = 0,5 gh2

= 0,5 x 1000 x 9,81 x (1,8)2

= 15892,2 N/m

Take moments about A and B:

MA=0:

HA(0) – R((2/3)1,8) + HB(1,8) = 0

15 892,200 x 1,2 = 1,8HB

HB = 10 594,8 N

MB=0:

HB(0) + R((1/3)1,8) – HA(1,8) = 0

15 892,200 x 0,6 = 1,8HA

HA = 5 297,4 N

Test:

H=0: R = HA + HB

15 892,2 = 10 594,8 + 5 297,4 = 15 892,2 N 