DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS

DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS
Introduction: Dimensional analysis is a mathematical technique
making use of study of dimensions.
This mathematical technique is used in research work for design
and for conducting model tests.
It deals with the dimensions of physical quantities involved in the
phenomenon. All physical quantities are measured by comparison,
which is made with respect to an arbitrary fixed value.
In dimensional analysis one first predicts the physical parameters
that will influence the flow, and then by, grouping these
parameters in dimensionless combinations a better understanding
of the flow phenomenon is made possible.
It is particularly helpful in experimental work because it provides
a guide to those things that significantly influence the phenomena;
thus it indicates the direction in which the experimental work
should go.
TYPES OF DIMENSIONS
There are two types of dimensions

 Fundamental Dimensions or Fundamental Quantities

 Secondary Dimensions or Derived Quantities

Fundamental Dimensions or Fundamental Quantities:

These are basic quantities. For Example;
 Time, T ; (second, s)
 Distance, L ; (meter, m)
 Mass, M ; (kilogram, kg)
TYPES OF DIMENSIONS
Secondary Dimensions or Derived Quantities
The are those quantities which possess more than one fundamental
dimension.

For example;
 Velocity is denoted by distance per unit time L/T
 Acceleration is denoted by distance per unit time square L/T2
 Density is denoted by mass per unit volume M/L3

Since velocity, density and acceleration involve more than one

fundamental quantities so these are called derived quantities.
TYPES OF DIMENSIONS
TYPES OF DIMENSIONS
TYPES OF DIMENSIONS
TYPES OF DIMENSIONS
METHODOLOGY OF DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS
The Basic principle is Dimensional Homogeneity, which means the
dimensions of each terms in an equation on both sides are equal.

So such an equation, in which dimensions of each term on both

sides of equation are same, is known as Dimensionally
Homogeneous equation. Such equations are independent of
system of units. For example;

Lets consider the equation V=(2gH)1/2

 Dimensions of LHS=V=L/T=LT-1
 Dimensions of RHS=(2gH)1/2=(L/T2xL)1/2=LT-1
 Dimensions of LHS= Dimensions of RHS
So the equation V=(2gH)1/2 is dimensionally homogeneous
equation.
METHODS OF DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS
If the number of variables involved in a physical phenomenon are known, then
the relation among the variables can be determined by the following two
methods;
 Rayleigh’s Method
 Buckingham’s π-Theorem
Rayleigh’s Method:
It is used for determining expression for a variable (dependent) which depends
upon maximum three to four variables (Independent) only.
If the number of independent variables are more than 4 then it is very difficult
to obtain expression for dependent variable.
Let X is a dependent variable which depends upon X1, X2, and X3 as
independent variables. Then according to Rayleigh’s Method

X=f(X1, X2, X3) which can be written as

X=K X1a, X2b, X3c

Where K is a constant and a, b, c are arbitrary powers which are obtained by

comparing the powers of fundamental dimensions.
RAYLEIGH’S METHOD
Q. The resisting force R of a supersonic plane during flight can be considered as
dependent upon the length of the aircraft l, velocity V, air viscosity μ, air density ρ, and
bulk modulus of air k. Express the functional relationship between the variables and the
resisting force.

 Solution:
R  f (l , V ,  ,  , K )  R  Al a , V b ,  c ,  d , K e (1)
Where: A = Non dimensional constant
Substituting the powers on both sides of the equation
MLT -2  ALa ( LT 1 )b ( ML1T 1 )c ( ML3 ) d ( ML1T 2 ) e
Equating the powers of MLT on both sides
Power of M  1  c  d  e
Power of L  1  a  b - c - 3d - e
Power of T   2  -b - c - 2e
RAYLEIGH’S METHOD
Since the unkown(5) are more than number of equations(3). So expressing
a, b & c in terms of d & e
d  1- c - e
b  2 - c - 2e
a  1- b  c  3d  e  1- (2 - c - 2e)  c  3(1- c - e)  e
 1- 2  c  2e  c  3 - 3c - 3e  e  2 - c
Substituting the values in (1), we get
R  Al 2cV 2c  2 e  c  1c e K e  Al 2V 2  (l  cV  c  c   c )(V 2 e   e K e )
 c
2 2     K 
e

R  A l V    2 

 Vl   V  
    K  
R  A l V  
2 2
 2 
 Vl  V 
BUCKINGHAM’S Π-THEOREM:
Buckingham’s π-Theorem: Since Rayleigh’s Method becomes laborious if
variables are more than fundamental dimensions (MLT), so the difficulty is
overcome by Buckingham’s π-Theorem which states that
“If there are n variables (Independent and Dependent) in a physical
phenomenon and if these variables contain m fundamental dimensions then the
variables are arranged into (n-m) dimensionless terms which are called π-
terms.”
Let X1, X2, X3,…,X4, Xn are the variables involved in a physical problem. Let
X1 be the dependent variable and X2, X3, X4,…,Xn are the independent
variables on which X1 depends. Mathematically it can be written as
X1=f(X2 ,X3 ,X4 ,Xn) which can be rewritten as
f1(X1,X2 X3 X4 Xn)=0

Above equation is dimensionally homogenous. It contain n variables and if there

are m fundamental dimensions then it can be written in terms of dimensions
groups called π-terms which are equal to (n-m)
Hence f1(π1 π2 π3,… πn-m)=0
BUCKINGHAM’S Π-THEOREM:
Properties of π-terms:
 Each π-term is dimensionless and is independent of system of units.
 Division or multiplication by a constant does not change the character of the
π-terms.
 Each π-term contains m+1 variables, where m is the number of fundamental
dimensions and also called repeating variable.
Let in the above case X2, X3, X4 are repeating variables and if fundamental
dimensions m=3 then each π-term is written as
Π1=X2a1. X3b1. X4a1 .X1
Π2=X2a2. X3b2. X4a2 .X5
.
.
Πn-m=X2a(n-m). X3b(n-m). X4a(n-m) .Xn
Each equation is solved by principle of dimensionless homogeneity and values of
a1, b1 & c1 etc are obtained. Final result is in the form of
Π1=(Π2, Π3, Π4 ,…, Π(n-m))
Π2=(Π1, Π3, Π4 ,…, Π(n-m))
METHODS OF SELECTING REPEATING VARIABLES
The number of repeating variables are equal to number of
fundamental dimensions of the problem. The choice of repeating
variables is governed by following considerations;
 As far as possible, dependent variable shouldn’t be selected as repeating variable.
 The repeating variables should be chosen in such a way that one variable contains
geometric property, other contains flow property and third contains fluid property.
 The repeating variables selected should form a dimensionless group
 The repeating variables together must have the same number of fundamental
dimension.
 No two repeating variables should have the same dimensions.

Note: In most of fluid mechanics problems, the choice of repeating variables

may be (i) d,v ρ, (ii) l,v,ρ or (iii) d, v, μ.
BUCKINGHAM’S Π-THEOREM:
Q. The resisting force R of a supersonic plane during flight can be considered as
dependent upon the length of the aircraft l, velocity V, air viscosity μ, air density
ρ, and bulk modulus of air k. Express the functional relationship between the
variables and the resisting force.
R  f (l , V ,  ,  , K )  f ( R, l , V ,  ,  , K )  0
Total number of variables, n= 6
No. of fundamental dimension, m=3
No. of dimensionless  -terms, n-m=3
Thus: f ( 1 ,  2 ,  3 )  0
No. Repeating variables =m=3
Repeating variables =l , V , 
Thus π-terms are written as
 1  l a1V b1  c1 R
 2  l a 2V b 2  c 2 
 3  l a 3V b 3  c 3 K
BUCKINGHAM’S Π-THEOREM:
Now each Pi-term is solved by the principle of dimensional homogeneity

 1  term  M o LoT o  La1 ( LT 1 )b1 ( ML3 )c1 MLT 2

Equating the powers of MLT on both sides, we get
Power of M: 0=c 1 +1  c 1 =-1
Power of L: 0=a1 +b1 -3c1 +1  a1  2
Power of T: 0=-b1 -2  b1 =-2
R
  1  l -2V -2  -2 R   1 
 L2V 2
 2  term  M o LoT o  La 2 ( LT 1 )b 2 ( ML3 )c 2 ML1T 1
Equating the powers of MLT on both sides, we get
Power of M: 0  c 2 1  c 2  -1
Power of L: 0  a2  b2 - 3c2 -1  a2  1
Power of T: 0  -b2 -1  b2  -1

 2  l V    2 
-1 -1 -1

 lV
BUCKINGHAM’S Π-THEOREM:
 3  term  M o LoT o  La 3 ( LT 1 )b 3 ( ML3 )c 3 ML1T 2
Equating the powers of MLT on both sides, we get
Power of M: 0  c 3 1  c 3  -1
Power of L: 0  a3  b3 - 3c3 -1  a3  0
Power of T: 0  -b3 - 2  b3  -2
K
  3  l 0V -2  -1 K   2 
V 2
Hence
 R  K 
f ( 1 2 3 )  f  2 2 , , 2   0 or
  l V lV  V  
R   K  2 2   K 
  , 2   R  l V   , 2 
l V
2 2
 lV  V    lV  V  
THANK YOU!!!