ISABELA STATE UNIVERSITY: ILAGAN CITY CAMPUS

CE 76B: COURSE CORRELATION II

(GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING, FLUIDS AND MECHANICS AND STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING)

Module 2.4
Chapter 4: Relative Equilibrium of Liquids

Relative Equilibrium of Liquids

Relative equilibrium of liquid is a condition where the whole mass of liquid including the vessel in which
the liquid is contained, is moving at uniform accelerated motion with respect to the earth, but every
particle of liquid have no relative motion between each other. There are two cases of relative
equilibrium that will be discussed in this section: linear translation and rotation. Note that if a mass of
liquid is moving with constant speed, the conditions are the same as static liquid in the previous
sections.

Formulas

For details of the following formulas see the translation and rotation pages.

Rectilinear Translation (Moving Vessel)

Horizontal Motion
If a mass of fluid moves
horizontally along a straight
line at constant acceleration
a, the liquid surface assume
an angle θ with the
horizontal, see figure below.

Prepared By: Engr. Chezanie Miya S. Asuncion

1st Semester, S.Y. 2021-2022
ISABELA STATE UNIVERSITY: ILAGAN CITY CAMPUS
CE 76B: COURSE CORRELATION II
(GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING, FLUIDS AND MECHANICS AND STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING)

For any value of a, the angle θ can be found by considering a fluid particle of mass m on the surface. The
forces acting on the particle are the weight W = mg, inertia force or reverse effective force REF = ma,
and the normal force N which is the perpendicular reaction at the surface. These three forces are in
equilibrium with their force polygon shown to the right.

Inclined Motion
Consider a mass of fluid being accelerated up an incline α from horizontal. The horizontal and vertical
components of inertia force REF would be respectively, x = mah and y = mav.

Prepared By: Engr. Chezanie Miya S. Asuncion

1st Semester, S.Y. 2021-2022
ISABELA STATE UNIVERSITY: ILAGAN CITY CAMPUS
CE 76B: COURSE CORRELATION II
(GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING, FLUIDS AND MECHANICS AND STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING)

Use (+) sign for upward motion and (-) sign for downward motion.

Vertical Motion
The figure shown to the right is a mass of liquid moving vertically upward with a constant
acceleration a. The forces acting to a liquid column of depth h from the surface are weight of
the liquid W = γV, the inertia force REF = ma, and the pressure F = pA at the bottom of the
column.

Use (+) sign for upward motion and (-) sign for downward motion. Also note that a is positive for
acceleration and negative for deceleration.

Rotating (Rotating Vessels)

When at rest, the surface of mass of liquid is horizontal at PQ as shown in the figure. When this
mass of liquid is rotated about a vertical axis at constant angular velocity ω radian per second, it
will assume the surface ABC which is parabolic. Every particle is subjected to centripetal force
or centrifugal force CF = mω2x which produces centripetal acceleration towards the center of
rotation. Other forces that acts are gravity force W = mg and normal force N.

Prepared By: Engr. Chezanie Miya S. Asuncion

1st Semester, S.Y. 2021-2022
ISABELA STATE UNIVERSITY: ILAGAN CITY CAMPUS
CE 76B: COURSE CORRELATION II
(GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING, FLUIDS AND MECHANICS AND STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING)

Where tan θ is the slope at the surface of paraboloid at any distance x from the axis of rotation.

From Calculus, y’ = slope, thus

Prepared By: Engr. Chezanie Miya S. Asuncion

1st Semester, S.Y. 2021-2022
ISABELA STATE UNIVERSITY: ILAGAN CITY CAMPUS
CE 76B: COURSE CORRELATION II
(GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING, FLUIDS AND MECHANICS AND STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING)

Other Formulas
By squared-property of parabola, the relationship of y, x, h and r is defined by

Prepared By: Engr. Chezanie Miya S. Asuncion

1st Semester, S.Y. 2021-2022
ISABELA STATE UNIVERSITY: ILAGAN CITY CAMPUS
CE 76B: COURSE CORRELATION II
(GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING, FLUIDS AND MECHANICS AND STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING)

ILLUSTRATIVE PROBLEM

Problem 01

An open rectangular tank mounted on a truck is 5 m long, 2m wide and 2.5 m high is fileed with water to
a depth of 2m . (a) what is maximum horizontal acceleration can be imposed on the tank without
spilling any water and (b) determine the accelerating force on the liquid mass? (c) If the acceleration is
increased to 6 m/s², how much water is spilled out?

a. The figure shows the water level under

maximum a when no water is spilled out.

Tan ϴ = 0.5/2.5 = 0.2

Tan ϴ = a/g = 0.2
a = 0.2 (9.81)
a =1.962 m/s²

b. Accelerating Force, F=Ma

Mass,M= (Volume of liquid)
Mass,M= 1000(5x2x2)
Mass,M= 20,000 kg
Accelerating Force, F= 20,000x1.962
Accelerating Force, F= 39,240 N
Or;
F=Frea rwall – Ffrontwall
F = 9.81(2.5/2)[2.5(2)]- 9.81(1.5/2)[1.5(2)]
F= 39.kN

c. When a=6m/s²
tan  = a/g = 6/9.81
 = 31.45°
x=2.5cot31.45°
x=4.0875<5m
V left = ½ (4.0875)(2.5)(2)
V left = 10.22 m³
V original = (2)(2)(5)
V original = 20 m³
V spilled = V original - V left
V spilled = 20 – 10.22
V spilled = 9.78 m³

Prepared By: Engr. Chezanie Miya S. Asuncion

1st Semester, S.Y. 2021-2022
ISABELA STATE UNIVERSITY: ILAGAN CITY CAMPUS
CE 76B: COURSE CORRELATION II
(GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING, FLUIDS AND MECHANICS AND STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING)

Source:

Mathalino.com

Fluid Mechanucs & Hydrau;ics 4th Edition by Gillesania

Prepared By: Engr. Chezanie Miya S. Asuncion

1st Semester, S.Y. 2021-2022