TOTAL HYDROSTATIC

FORCE ON SURFACES
Plane surface | Curved Surface
HORIZONTAL and INCLINED SURFACE
Plane surface
Water Surface
Ɵ

h A
y

𝐅 𝐲𝐩
A

B
e

Center of Gravity, 𝐂𝐠
Center of Pressure, 𝐂𝐩
B
Force, F
F = 𝛄 𝐡ഥ A

Location of F, yp
𝐲𝐩 = 𝐲ഥ + e
𝐲𝐩 = 𝐡ഥ + e

Eccentricity, e
𝐈𝐠 𝐈𝐠
𝐞= 𝐀ഥ𝐲 𝐞= 𝐀𝐡ഥ
Example No. 1
A vertical rectangular gate 1.5m wide and 3m high is
submerged in water with its top edge 2m below the water
surface. Find the total pressure acting on one side of the gate and
its location from the bottom.
Solution:

2m F= γhAത
1.5 m
തh = 2m + 3m
hത = 3.5m 2
hത = 3.5m
kN
Cg F= (9.81 )(3.5m)(1.5m)(3m)
3m m3
e
Cp
F 𝐅= 𝟏𝟓𝟒. 𝟓𝟎𝟖 𝐤𝐍
x
 Ig
e= Ayഥ
bd³
Ig = 12
(1.5m)(3m)³
Ig =
12
Ig = 3.375 m4
3.375 m4
e= (1.5m)(3m)(3.5m)
𝑁𝑜𝑡𝑒: yത = hഥ , when the surface is not inclined
e=0.214 m
x=1.5 m -0.214 m
𝐱=1.286 m 𝐿𝑜𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑜𝑓 𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑜𝑡𝑡𝑜𝑚
Example No. 2
A 30 m long dam retains 9 m of water as shown in the
figure. Find the total resultant force acting on the dam and the
location of the center of pressure from the bottom.
 Given:
Solution: L = 30m
Height of water = 9m

ത
F= γhA
kN
30 m hത = 4.5 m F= (9.81 m3 )(4.5m)(30m)(10.392m)
yത
Cg
𝐅= 𝟏𝟑, 𝟕𝟔𝟐. 𝟔𝟒𝟓 𝐤𝐍
10.392m F 9m
e x
Cp 9m
60° cos(30°) = b

9m b= 10.392 m

60°
 Ig
e= Ayഥ
bd³
Ig = 12
(30m)(10.392m)³
Ig =
12
Ig = 2805.675 m4
2805.675 m4
e= (30m)(10.392m)(5.196m)

e=1.732 m
10.392 m
x= - 1.732 m
2
𝐱=3.464 m 𝐿𝑜𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑜𝑓 𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑜𝑡𝑡𝑜𝑚
Example No. 3
Determine the magnitude and location of the total
hydrostatic force acting on the 2m x 4m gate shown in the figure.
 F= PA
Solution:
P= Σγh
=(9.81 kN/m³)(1.26)(3m)
+ (9.81 kN/m³)(1.5m) +
(9.81 kN/m³)(0.80)(1m) +
hത 32 kPa
yത P= 91.645 kPa
F= (91.645 kN/m²) (2m)(4m)
e 𝐅= 𝟕𝟑𝟑. 𝟏𝟔 𝐤𝐏𝐚
z ത
F= γhA
kN
cp 733.16 KN/m² = 9.81 3 1.26
m
ത
(h)(2m)(4m)
hത = 7.414 m
 Ig
e= Ayഥ
bd³ hത
Ig = 12 yത =
sin60°
(2m)(4m)³
Ig = 7.414 m
12 yത =
sin60°
Ig = 10.667 m4
yത = 8.561 m
10.667 m4
e= (2m)(4m)(8.561m)

e=0.156 m

z = 2 m- 0.156 m

𝐳 = 1.844 m 𝐿𝑜𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑜𝑓 𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑜𝑡𝑡𝑜𝑚

TOTAL HYDROSTATIC
FORCE ON SURFACES
Plane surface | Curved Surface
𝐚. 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐳𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐲𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞
water surface b

Ph = horizontal component of the

𝐏𝐡 h hydrostatic pressure is equal to
total pressure on the projection of
h/3
that surface on a vertical plane
which is normal to the chosen
axis.
ҧ
𝐏𝐡 = 𝛄𝐡A
A = Projected Area
hത = h/2
 𝐛. 𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐲𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞
Pv= vertical component of the hydrostatic
water surface pressure is equal to the weight of that
volume of water or liquid extending
𝐏𝐡 vertically from the surface of the free
surface of liquid.
𝐏𝐯 = 𝛄𝐕𝐨𝐥
𝐏
𝐏𝐯
𝐜. 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐧𝐭 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞

𝐏= (𝐏𝐡 )𝟐 +(𝐏𝐯 )𝟐
 𝐝. 𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 or Resultant Force acting on
the Curve Surface

Center of
h/3
𝐱
Pressure
water surface
𝐏𝐯 𝐁 b d
2 𝐏 hത = h/2
h
h 3 𝐏𝐡 r
Pv
h/3
𝟔𝟎°
𝐀 C
d Ph
By Ratio and Proportion:
Pv h/3
= 𝐱=𝐫−𝐝
Ph d
Example No. 4
The canal shown runs 40 m into the paper. Assume unit
weight of the water is 9.79 kN/m³
a. Determine the horizontal
component of the hydrostatic force
against the quarter circle wall.

b. Determine the vertical

component of the hydrostatic force
against the quarter circle wall.
c. Compute the location of the center
of pressure where the resultant
strikes the wall, measured vertically
and horizontally.
 a. Horizontal Force
Solution:
ത
Ph = γhA
𝐏𝐯 Ph = (9.79 kN/m³)(9m) (18m)(40m)
𝐑 r = 18 m 𝐁
𝐏𝐡 = 𝟔𝟑, 𝟒𝟑𝟗. 𝟐 𝐤𝐍
12m
𝐏𝐡 cp
b. Vertical Force
6m
Pv = γV
𝐀 π 18 m 2
Pv = (9.79 kN/m³)( 4 )(40 m)
𝐏𝐯 = 𝟗𝟗, 𝟔𝟓𝟎. 𝟎𝟔𝟐 𝐤𝐍
 𝐜. 𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞
Solution: 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐥
x = 2.819 m R= (63439.2)2 +(99650.062)2

𝐑 𝐁 𝐑= 𝟏𝟏𝟖, 𝟏𝟐𝟗. 𝟖𝟕𝟑 𝐤𝐍

57.5°
𝐏𝐯
12m 15.181 m
𝐏𝐡 99,650.062
cp
tanƟ=
6m 63,439.2
y = 2.819 m
𝐀 Ɵ= 57.5°
x x
a cos(57.5°)= 18 m
57.5° sin(57.5°)=
18 m
a
18 m a = 15.181 m 𝐱 = 𝟗. 𝟔𝟕𝟏 𝐦
y = 18 m − 15.181 m
𝐲 = 𝟐. 𝟖𝟏𝟗 𝐦