Fluid Mechanics 18ME46

UNIT 2, Chapter 2

Buoyancy and Stability:

• Stability of floating bodies, Meta center and Metacentric
height;
• Experimental and analytical determination of meta centric
height; stability of submerged bodies, Numericals
Buoyancy:
• When a body is immersed in a fluid, an upward force is exerted by the fluid
on the body.
• This upward force which is equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the
body is known as force of buoyancy or simply buoyancy.
Center of Buoyancy:
• It is defined as the point through which the force of buoyancy acts.
• Center of buoyancy will be same as the center of gravity of the fluid
displaced.
Principle of floatation states that ‘the weight of a body floating in a fluid is
equal to the buoyant force which in turn is equal to the weight of the fluid
displaced by the body’
• Thus for a body immersed in a fluid if the buoyant force exceeds the
weight of the body, the body will rise until its weight equals the buoyant
force.
• On the other hand if the weight of an immersed body exceeds the buoyant
force, the body will tend to move downward and it may finally sink.
 Prob 1
Find the volume of the water displaced and the position of
center of buoyancy for a wooden block width 2.5 m and
depth 1.5 m when it floats horizontally in water. The density
of wooden block is 650 kg/cubic meter and its length is 6 m.
 Solution : Width = 2.5m, depth = 1.5m, Length = 6m

W
 Volume of wooden block = 2.5 1.5  6 = 22.5 m3
 wood = 650 kg / m3 ,Weight of wooden block =  wood  g  volume of block
1.5 m G
B h Let h be the depth of immersion of the wooden block in water.
FB
 Volume of water displaced = 2.5  h  6 = 15h m 3
2.5m

(i) Depth of immersion h : As per Archimedes principle,

Top Weight of wooden block = Weight of water displaced
view
i.e.  wood  g  volume of block =  water  g  volume of water displaced
6m

 650  9.81 22.5 = 1000  9.81 2.5  h  6  h = 0.975 m

(ii) Position of center of buoyancy :

Center of buoyancy is the CG of the displaced body of liquid
0.975
 COB lies at the midpoint of depth of immersion = = 0.4875 m
2
 Prob 2
A wooden log of 0.6 m diameter and 5 m long is floating in river water. Find
the depth of immersion of the wooden log if its specific gravity is 0.7.

A W C

G
B h
FB
D
 0.6 m

Top
view
5m
 Solution : Diameter of cylinder d = 0.6 m, Length l = 5m
 
 Volume of cylinder = d l =  0.62  5 = 1.4137 m3
A W C 2

4 4
G
B h (i) Depth of immersion h : As per Archimedes principle,
Weight of wooden cylinder = Weight of water displaced
FB
D
 0.6 m
i.e. swood  volume of cylinder = swater  Volume of water displaced 
Top  0.7 1.414 = 1   = 0.9896 m 3
view
5m Also,  = Area of immersed portion of cylinder ×length of cylinder
i.e.  = ( Area of the sec tor ADC + Area of triangle AGC )  length of cylinder
 360 − 2  1 
 0.9896 =     ( r ) 2
+  2( r ) cos   ( r sin  )  5
 360  2 
 360 − 2  
0.1979 =     (0.3) 2
+ 0.32
cos   sin   By hit & trial, θ = 71.5 0

 360  
From the fig, depth of immersion h = ( r + rcosθ ) = ( 0.3 + 0.3cos 71.50 ) = 0.3952 m
 Prob 3
A stone weighs 392.4 N in air and 196.2 N in water. Calculate the volume of
the stone and its specific gravity.
Water

Stone

Solution :
Weight of stone in air − Weight of 3 stone in water = Weight of water displaced
(392.4 − 196.2) = 196.2 = Weight of water displaced
 196.2 =  water  9.81 volume of water displaced = 1000  9.81 
 = 0.02 m3 As the stone is fully immersed in water;
Volume of water displaced = Volume of the stone = 0.02 m 3
 Weight of stone in air = ( sp gravity of stone  sp. wt of water )  Volume of the stone
 392.4 = s  9810  0.02; Specific gravity of stone s = 2
 Assignment Problem
Find the density of a metallic body which floats at the interface of mercury of
specific gravity 13.6 and water such that 40% of its volume is submerged in
mercury and 60% in water.

Solution : Let V be the volume of the body and  body be its density.
Given; Volume of body submerged in mecury = 40% of V = 0.4V and
Volume of body submerged in water = 60% of V = 0.6V
Weight of the body = Wt of mercury displaced + Wt of water displaced
  body  g  V =  Mercury  g  (0.4V ) +  water  g  (0.6V )
i.e.  body = (13.6  1000  0.4 + (1000  0.6) = 6040 kg / m 3
 Metacenter and Metacentric height:
• Metacenter is defined as the point about which a body starts oscillating
when the body is tilted by a small angle.
• Metacenter may also be defined as “the point at which the line of action
of force of buoyancy will meet the normal axis of the body when the
body is given a small angular displacement”.
• The distance between the metacenter of the floating body and center of
gravity of the body and is known as Metacentric height.
• Metacentric height is useful in deciding the stability of the floating body.
 Metacenter and Metacentric height:
• Fig (a) shows the floating body in equilibrium, and the
center of gravity and center of buoyancy lie on the
normal axis which is vertical.
• When the body is given a slight angular tilt, the
amount of fluid displaced changes, and center of
buoyancy changes to new position B1 and the force of
buoyancy acts through this point vertically upwards.
• The line of action of this force of buoyancy will
intersect the normal axis of the body at a point M
which is known as the Metacenter.

• The line of action of this force of buoyancy will intersect the normal axis of the body at a point M which
is known as the Metacenter.
• The distance GM is known as metacentric height.
 Analytical method of determination of Metacentric height:
The angular displacement  causes wedges on either side of equilibrium position and gives rise to a couple due to
the gain and loss of buoyant force. Consider a strip of thickness dx at a distance x from the axis on right & left
sides.

Volume of the strip = x  dx  L; Let dA = dx  L

Weight of the strip =  g  volume of the strip =  g  x  dA
Due to equal and opposite weights of the strip on either side,
such that;
Moment of couple = Wt. of strip  Distance between their lines of action
 Moment of couple for strip =  g  x  dA   2 x  = 2  gx 2  dA

 Moment of couple for whole wedge =  g  2  x 2 dA =  g  I

where I is the MOI of the plan of the body at water surface.

Moment of couple for whole wedge  g  I is balanced by
the couple due to shifting of force of buoyancy from B to B1.
and is equal to FB  BB1 = W  BB1 where W is the weight of the
water displaced by the body.
W = Weight density  volume of immersed portion of body
W =  g  . Also BB1 = BM sin   BM  
( For small angles, sin    )
 Couple due to shift of Center of Buoyancy =  g   BM  
Equating the above couple to the couple due to wedge,
I
 g   BM   =  g  I or BM =

I 
 Metacentric height GM = BM − BG =  − BG 
 
 Stability of floating bodies
When a floating body is given a slight angular displacement, it may have either of the following
three conditions of equilibrium developed namely;
(i) Stable equilibrium. (ii) Unstable equilibrium. (iii) Neutral equilibrium.

(i) Stable equilibrium: A body is said to be in a

state of stable equilibrium if a small angular
displacement of the body sets up a couple that
tends to oppose the angular displacement of the
body, thereby tending to bring the body back to
its original position. For stability of submerged
body, metacenter M must lie above G, hence
the metacentric height GM must be positive.
(ii) Unstable equilibrium: A body is said to be in a
state of unstable equilibrium if a small angular
displacement of the body sets up a couple that tends
to further increase the angular displacement of the
body, thereby not allowing the body to restore its
original position.
For a submerged body, the equilibrium becomes
unstable when M lies below G, hence the
metacentric height GM becomes negative.
(iii) Neutral equilibrium:
A body is said to be in a state of neutral equilibrium if a small angular displacement of the
body does not set up couple of any kind, and therefore the body adopts the new position
given to it by the angular displacement, without either returning to its original position, or
increasing the angular displacement.
For a submerged body, neutral equilibrium implies M coincides G, hence the metacentric
height GM becomes zero.
Equilibrium of floating bodies at a glance
 Stability of submerged bodies
For a submerged body the weight of body is equal to the buoyant force, W=FB, and body has no
tendency to move upward or downward. For example, a balloon submerged in the air, a
submarine
(i) Stable equilibrium: A submerged body is said to be in a state of stable equilibrium, if the
center of buoyancy B is above the center of gravity G. A slight angular tilt produces a couple
of force FB and W in opposite direction. The body will return to its original position.
(ii) Unstable equilibrium: If B is below G, when the body is given a slight tilt, the couple of
forces W and FB also in the same direction.
(iii) Neutral equilibrium: B coincide G. There is no moment of couple formed by W and FB.
Summary of equilibrium of floating & Submerged bodies
 Prob 4
A block of wood of specific gravity 0.7 floats horizontally in water.
Determine the metacentric height of the block if its size is length 2m x
width 1m x height 0.8m.
(i) Depth of immersion h :
Equating the wt of wooden piece to wt of water displaced;
0.8 m G (0.7 1000  9.81)  (2 1 0.8) = (11000  9.81)  (2 1 h)  h = 0.56 m
B h
(ii) Distance of center of buoyancy from center of gravity :
A
 0.8 0.56 
1m BG = AG − AB =  −  = 0.12 m
Y  2 2 
 I yy  2 13 1 4
(iii) Metacentric height : GM =  − BG  , where I yy = = m
Plan
2m
   12 6
or
 1 
Top  = 2 1 0.56 = 1.12 m3  GM =  − 0.12  = 0.0288 m
view
Y
 6 1.12 
As the metacentric height is positive, equilibrium is stable.
 Prob 5
A rectangular pontoon 10 m long, 7 m wide and 2.5 m deep weighs 686.7 KN. It carries
on its upper deck an empty boiler of 5 m diameter weighing 588.6 KN. The center of
gravity of the boiler & pontoon are at their respective centers along a vertical line. Find
the metacentric height. Weight density of sea water 10.104 KN/m3.
Data : Weight of pontoon W1 = 686.7 KN , Weight of deck W2 = 588.6 KN
2.5
Distance of CG of pontoon from A = AG1 = = 1.25 m
2
5
Distance of CG of deck from A = AG2 = 2.5 + = 5 m
2
(i) Combined center of gravity of pontoon & deck :
The distance of the combined CG from base of pontoon is
 W  AG1 + W2  AG2   686.7 1.25 + 588.6  5 
AG =  1 =  = 2.98 m
 W1 + W2   686.7 + 588.6 
(ii) Depth of immersion h :
Equating the total weight of Pontoon & cylinder to wt. of sea water displaced;
(W1 + W2 ) =  seawater  (Volume of submerged portion of pontoon )
( 686.7 + 588.6 ) = 10.104  (10  7  h )  h = 1.803 m
(iii) Distance of center of buoyancy from center of gravity :
Distance of combined center of gravity from bottom end AG = 2.98 m
h 1.803
Distance of center of buoyancy from bottom end AB = = = 0.9015 m
2 2
BG = ( AG − AB ) = ( 2.98 − 0.9015 ) = 2.0785 m
 I yy   10  73 
(iii) Metacentric height : GM =  − BG  , where I yy =   = 285.833 m 4

    12 
 = ( 7 10 1.803) = 126.21 m3
 285.833 
 GM =  − 2.0785  = 0.1862 m
 126.21 
As GM is positive, the equilibrium is stable.
 Prob 6
A wooden cylinder of specific gravity 0.6 is required to float in oil of specific gravity
0.9. Determine the L/D ratio for the cylinder to float with its longitudinal axis vertical in
oil where L is the length of the cylinder & D is its diameter.
(i) Depth of immersion h :
W
Equating the wt of wooden cylinder to wt of oil displaced;
G
   
(0.6 1000  9.81)    D  L  = (0.9 1000  9.81)    D 2  h 
L B 2
h
FB 4  4 
 h = 0.6667 L
L
D Distance of center of gravity from bottom end AG = = 0.5L
Top 2
view
h
Distance of center of buoyancy from bottom end AB = = 0.3333L
2
(ii) Distance of center of buoyancy from center of gravity :
BG = ( AG − AB ) = ( 0.5 − 0.3333) L = 0.1667L
  I yy    D4 
W (iii) Metacentric height : GM =  − BG  , where I yy =   = 0.0491D 4
    64 
  
G
L B 
h  =   D 2  h  =   D 2  0.6667 L  =0.5236 D 2 L
FB 4  4 
 0.0491D 4 2 
 GM =  2
− 0.1667 D L  For stability GM must be positive  GM > 0
D  0.5236D L 
Top
view  0.0491D 4 2  0.0491D 2
i.e.  2
− 0.1667 D L   0   0.1667 L
 0.5236D L  0.5236L
 L2  L
or 0.08728L < 0.0491D  For stability,  2  < 0.5624 or
2 2
< 0.75
D  D
 Prob 7
A solid cone floats in water with its apex downwards. Determine the least apex angle of
the cone for stable equilibrium. The specific gravity of the material of the cone is 0.8.
D=2R

Water surface d=2r

G
B
H
 
h

d=2r

Plan at
water surface
 D=2R Data : Specific gravity of cone = 0.8  ρ = 0.8×1000 = 800 kg / m3
Water surface d=2r
Let 2θ be the apex angle of the cone, R = radius of base of cone,
G
B
H = height of cone  R = H tan
H
 
h r = radius of submerged cone at water surface,
A
h = Depth of immersion of the cone  h = r tan
d=2r
(i) Center of gravity & center of buoyancy of cone :
Plan at The CG of a cone is located at one - fourth of its height from base
water surface
3
or three - fourth of its height from apex.  AG = H
4
3
Similarly, the Center of buoyancy B is at AB = h
4
3
 The distance between CG & COB ; BG = ( AG − AB ) = ( H − h )
4
 BG = 0.75(H - h)
 1 
(i) Depth of immersion h : Volume of cone =    radius 2  height 
3 
D=2R

d=2r
Water surface Equating the wt of cone to wt of water displaced;
1  1 
G

(0.8 1000  9.81)    R 2 H  = (1000  9.81)    r 2 h 

B
H
 
h
3  3 
A
Putting R = H tan  and r = h tan  , and simplifying;
H 
d=2r 0.8H 3 = h3 or   = 1.077  H = 1.077 h
Plan at h 
  d 4   ( 2r )
water surface 4
 I yy 
(iii) Metacentric height : GM =  − BG  , where I yy = = = 0.7854 r 4
   64 64
1 2   3  0.7854r 4 
 =   r h   GM =  − 0.75( H − h )   0 for stable equilibrium.
3   r h
2

 r2 
GM =  − ( H − h)   0 Putting H = 1.077h, r = h tan  , and simplifying,
h 
( h tan 2
 − 0.077 h )  0  tan 2  0.077    15.50
Hence, least apex angle of the cone for equilibrium is 2θ = 310
Experimental method of determination of Metacentric height:

Let w1 be a known weight placed over the center of a floating

vessel as shown in fig.
Let W be weight of the vessel including the weight w1
G is the center of gravity of the vessel
B is the center of buoyancy of the vessel.
The weight w1 is moved across the vessel towards the right thro'
a distance x causing an angle of heel  which can be measured by
means of a plumbline & protractor attached to the vessel.
The CG will shift to new position G1 due to movement of weight w1
and the center of buoyancy will shift to new position B1 due to tilt.
Experimental method of determination of Metacentric height:

Under equilibrium, the moment caused by movement of weight

must be equal to moment due to shift of CG from G to G1
 w1  x = W  GG1 ; But GG1 = GM tan 
w1 × x
 GM =
Wtanθ
 Prob 8
A pontoon of 15696 KN displacement is floating in water. A weight of 245.45 KN is
moved through a distance of 8m across the deck of the pontoon, which tilts the pontoon
through 40. Find metacentric height of the pontoon.

Data : W = 15696 KN , w1 = 245.25 KN , x = 8m,  = 40

w1  x 245.25  8
Solution : Metacentric height GM = = = 1.788 m
W tan  15696  tan 4 0
 Prob 9
A ship 70 m long and 10 m wide has a displacement of 19620 KN. A weight of 343.35
KN is moved across the deck through a distance of 6m, causing a tilt of 60. The moment
of inertia of the ship at the waterline about fore and aft axis is 75% of the MOI of the
circumscribing rectangle. The center of buoyancy is 2.25 m below the water line.
Determine the metacentric height and position of center of gravity of the ship. Specific
weight of sea water is 10104 N/m3.

Data : W = 19620 KN , w1 = 343.35 KN , x = 6m,  = 60 ,  sea water = 10104 N / m3

L = 70 m, B = 10 m, Depth of COB below water surface = 2.25 m
w1  x 343.35  6
Solution : (i ) Metacentric height GM = = = 0.999 m
W tan  19620  tan 6 0
 Note:
1. Displacement of the ship = Weight of water displaced =Weight of the ship
2. Fore is the front end of the ship, Aft is the rear end of the ship

(ii) Position of center of gravity :

 I yy   70 103 
Fore Metacentric height GM =  − BG  , where I yy = 0.75   = 4375 m 4

    12 
Weight of ship W 19620
= = = = 1941.8 m3
Weight density of sea water  sea water 10.104
 4375 
 0.999 =  − BG   BG = 1.254 m
 1941.8 
Hence the distance of CG below the water surface is 2.25 - 1.254 = 0.996 m

Aft