DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS AND DYNAMIC

SIMILITUDE
• INTRODUCTION
• Dimensional analysis is used to describe a system with few
independent variables and many dimensionless parameters
as possible
• This can be done because parameters are dimensionless
and will ensure dynamic similitude between the model
and the prototype (application)
• Similitude is a concept used to testing engineering models
with major application in hydraulic and aerospace
engineering, e.g it is used to test fluid flow conditions with
scaled models
 DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS AND DYNAMIC
SIMILITUDE
• Dimensional analysis is a mathematical
technique used to predict physical parameters
that influence the flow in fluid mechanics, heat
transfer in thermodynamics, and so forth
• The analysis involves the fundamental units of
dimensions MLT: mass, length, and time.
• It is helpful in experimental work because it
provides a guide to factors that significantly
affect the studied phenomena.
 DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS AND DYNAMIC
SIMILITUDE
• Dimensional analysis is commonly used to determine
the relationships between several variables, i.e. to
find the force as a function of other variables when
an exact functional relationship is unknown. Based
on understanding of the problem, we assume a
certain functional form
• In addition, dimensional analysis is a method for
reducing the number and complexity of experimental
variables which affect a given physical phenomenon,
by using a sort of compacting technique
 DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS AND DYNAMIC
SIMILITUDE
• If a phenomenon depends upon n dimensional
variables, dimensional analysis will reduce the
problem to only k dimensionless variables,
where the reduction n - k = 1, 2, 3, or 4,
depending upon the problem complexity
• Generally, n - k equals the number of different
dimensions (sometimes called basic or primary
or fundamental dimensions) which govern the
problem
 DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS AND DYNAMIC
SIMILITUDE
• In fluid mechanics, the four basic dimensions are
usually taken to be mass M, length L, time T, and
temperature Q or an MLTQ system for short
• Example : Pressure–drop in pipe–flow depends on
length, inside diameter, velocity, density and
viscosity of the fluid. If the roughness-effects are
ignored, determine a symbolic expression for the
pressure–drop using dimensional analysis.
 DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS AND DYNAMIC
SIMILITUDE
• Answer,
• Applying Buckingham Pi-theorem, we have,