Forces on plane areas (plane surfaces)

In this section, we will consider the force

exerted by the fluid on submerged plane
surface. The resultant pressure force F and
its point of action, C, (pressure center) will
be determined as a result of the pressure
distribution over the plane surface.

Inclined plane area

Consider a plane area that is inclined

with an angle  with the liquid free
surface has specific weight .

For a differential area element dA, the

exerted force dF by the fluid pressure is:

𝑑𝐹 = 𝑃. 𝑑𝐴

𝑑𝐹 = 𝛾𝑦. 𝑑𝐴

𝑦 is the pressure head affect on the

element.

This element and the others of the plane area are affected by forces
perpendicular to the plane area. They form parallel force system. So, the
resultant of them can be determined by the integration over the whole
plane area.

𝐹=∫ 𝑑𝐹 = ∫ 𝛾𝑦. 𝑑𝐴
𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎
 𝐹 = 𝛾 ∫ 𝑑𝐴 . 𝑦

∫ 𝑑𝐴 . 𝑦 is the first moment of the area about axis passing through the
liquid free surface = 𝐴. 𝑦𝐺

𝐹 = 𝛾𝐴. 𝑦𝐺 = 𝛾𝑦𝐺 . 𝐴

𝐹 = 𝑃𝐺 . 𝐴

G is the centroid of the plane area, 𝑦𝐺 is the height of the centroid from
the free surface and 𝑃𝐺 is the liquid pressure acts on the centroid.

To determine the point of action of F, pressure center, we will take the

moment about point O, the point of intersection of the plane area with
liquid free surface.

The moment of the resultant about point equals the sum of moments of
the forces (of this resultant) about the same point. So,

𝐹. 𝑥𝐶 = ∫ 𝑑𝐹. 𝑥
𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎

𝐹. 𝑥𝐶 = ∫ 𝛾𝑦 𝑑𝐴 . 𝑥

From geometry, 𝑦 = 𝑥. 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜑

𝐹. 𝑥𝐶 = ∫ 𝛾𝑑𝐴 . 𝑥 2 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜑 = 𝛾𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜑 ∫ 𝑑𝐴 . 𝑥 2

∫ 𝑑𝐴 . 𝑥 2 is the second moment of inertia of the plane area about axis

passing through point O, that is called 𝐼𝑂

𝐹. 𝑥𝐶 = 𝛾𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜑. 𝐼𝑂

From parallel-axis theorem, 𝐼𝑂 = 𝐼𝐺 + 𝐴. 𝑥𝐺2

𝐼𝐺 is the moment of inertia of the plane area about axis passing through
its centroid G.

𝐹. 𝑥𝐶 = 𝛾𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜑. (𝐼𝐺 + 𝐴. 𝑥𝐺2 )

Substituting about 𝐹 = 𝛾𝐴𝑦𝐺 = 𝛾𝐴𝑥𝐺 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜑

𝛾𝐴𝑥𝐺 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜑. 𝑥𝐶 = 𝛾𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜑. (𝐼𝐺 + 𝐴. 𝑥𝐺2 )

𝐴. 𝑥𝐺 . 𝑥𝐶 = (𝐼𝐺 + 𝐴. 𝑥𝐺2 )

𝐼𝐺
𝑥𝐶 = 𝑥𝐺 + #
𝐴. 𝑥𝐺

The above equation can be written in terms of y as:

𝑦𝐶 𝑦𝐺 𝐼𝐺 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜑
= +
𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜑 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜑 𝐴. 𝑦𝐺
𝐼𝐺 𝑠𝑖𝑛2 𝜑
𝑦𝐶 = 𝑦𝐺 + #
𝐴.𝑦𝐺

𝐼𝐺 𝑠𝑖𝑛2 𝜑
Since ≥ 0, then 𝑦𝐶 ≥ 𝑦𝐺
𝐴.𝑦𝐺

Graphically point C is the centroid of the

pressure distribution over the surface area
(pressure prism).

Area, centroid and moment of inertia for some common figures

Rectangle

𝐴 = 𝐵. 𝐿

𝐵𝐿3 𝐿 𝐵3 𝐵𝐿3 𝐿 𝐵3
𝐼𝑥𝐺 = , 𝐼𝑦𝐺 = , 𝐼𝑥 = , 𝐼𝑦 =
12 12 3 3
Right-angle triangle

𝐴 = 𝐵. 𝐿⁄2

𝐵𝐿3 𝐿 𝐵3 𝐵𝐿3 𝐿 𝐵3
𝐼𝑥𝐺 = , 𝐼𝑦𝐺 = , 𝐼𝑥 = , 𝐼𝑦 =
36 36 12 12

Circle

𝐴 = 𝜋𝑅2

𝜋𝑅4
𝐼𝑥𝐺 = 𝐼𝑦𝐺 =
4

Semicircle

𝐴 = 𝜋𝑅2 ⁄2

𝜋𝑅 4
𝐼𝑥𝐺 = 0.1098𝑅4 , 𝐼𝑦𝐺 =
8

Quarter of the circle

𝐴 = 𝜋𝑅2 ⁄4

𝐼𝑥𝐺 = 𝐼𝑦𝐺 = 0.05488𝑅4

Special cases

- Horizontal plane area, =0

𝐹 = 𝛾𝐴𝑦𝐺

𝐼𝐺 𝑠𝑖𝑛2 𝜑
𝑦𝐶 = 𝑦𝐺 + = 𝑦𝐺
𝐴. 𝑦𝐺

Point C and G are the same since the distribution

of the pressure is uniform.

It is the case for horizontal plane area and liquid

pressure and also in the case of gas-pressure that
affects on area of any inclined angle (because the
weight of gas column is neglected).

- Vertical rectangular plane area its top at the free surface, =90

𝐹 = 𝛾𝐴𝑦𝐺

𝐴 = 𝐵. 𝐻

𝑦𝐺 = 𝐻⁄2

𝐼𝐺 𝑠𝑖𝑛2 𝜑
𝑦𝐶 = 𝑦𝐺 +
𝐴. 𝑦𝐺

𝐻 𝐵𝐻3 ⁄12
𝑦𝐶 = +
2 (𝐵𝐻). 𝐻⁄2

𝐻 𝐻 4𝐻 2
𝑦𝐶 = + = = 𝐻
2 6 6 3
The result will be obtained by graphical solution since the pressure
distribution over the area is triangle.

- Gage pressure and multi fluids affect on plane area

𝐹 = 𝑃𝐺 . 𝐴

𝑃𝐺 = 𝑃𝑔𝑎𝑔𝑒 + 𝛾1 ℎ1 + 𝛾2 ℎ2 + 𝛾3 ℎ3

To determine 𝑦𝐶 , we must determine equivalent

value of head due to one fluid 𝑦𝐺 𝑒𝑞

𝑃𝑔𝑎𝑔𝑒 + 𝛾1 ℎ1 + 𝛾2 ℎ2 + 𝛾3 ℎ3 + = 𝛾𝑤 𝑦𝐺 𝑒𝑞

𝐼𝐺 𝑠𝑖𝑛2 𝜑
𝑦𝐶 = 𝑦𝐺 𝑒𝑞 +
𝐴. 𝑦𝐺 𝑒𝑞

Example:

In the shown figure, determine the force Fy

required to close the gate and the reaction
at support (A), if the mass of the gate is
1000 kg. Gate width = 3 m.

Solution:

Gate AB has length AB

𝐴𝐵 = √1.52 + 22 = 2.5 𝑚

A (area of the width) = 𝐴𝐵 × 𝑤𝑖𝑑𝑡ℎ = 2.5 × 3 = 7.5 𝑚2

The water head acts on the centroid G of
the area of the gate:

𝑦𝐺 = 10 − 1 = 9 𝑚

The hydraulic force due to the water

pressure:

𝐹𝑤 = 𝛾𝑤 𝐴𝑦𝐺 = 9.81 × 103 × 7.5 × 9

= 662175 𝑁

It acts at the pressure center C where:

𝐼𝐺 𝑠𝑖𝑛2 𝜑
𝑦𝐶 = 𝑦𝐺 +
𝐴. 𝑦𝐺

2
The inclined angle  to the horizontal: tan ∅ = ∅ = 53.13°
1.5

𝑤𝑖𝑑𝑡ℎ × 𝐴𝐵3 3 × 2.53

𝐼𝐺 = = = 3.906 𝑚4
12 12

𝐼𝐺 𝑠𝑖𝑛2 𝜑 3.906 𝑠𝑖𝑛2 (53.13)

𝑦𝐶 = 𝑦𝐺 + =9+ = 9.037 𝑚
𝐴. 𝑦𝐺 7.5 × 9

To determine Fy required to close the gate:

∑𝑀 = 0
𝐴

1.5
𝐹𝑦 × 1.5 + 𝑚𝑔 × − 𝐹𝑤 (𝐴𝐶) = 0
2

𝑦𝑐 − 8 9.037 − 8
𝐴𝐶 = = = 1.296 𝑚
sin ∅ sin 53.13

662175 × 1.296 − 1000 × 9.81 × 0.75

𝐹𝑦 = = 567323.23 𝑁
1.5