FLUID MECHANICS-I

Lecture 4

Fluid Statics

By Dr. Fayaz A Khan

Assistant Professor, UET Bannu campus.

CE 206 Dr. Fayaz A Khan 1

 Lecture Content

 Forces on a Plane Area

 Center of Pressure
 Forces on a Curved Surface
 Buoyancy and Stability of Submerged and Floating
Bodies

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 Forces on a Plane Area.
 As no tangential forces can exist within a fluid at rest, all the forces are
then normal to the surfaces in question.
 If the pressure is uniformly distributed over an area, the force is equal
to
the pressure times the area and the point of application of the force is at

the centroid of the area.

 For submerged horizontal areas, the pressure is uniform.
 In case of compressible fluids (gases), the pressure variation with
vertical distance is very small because of low specific weight;
therefore, when we compute the static fluid force exerted by a gas, we
usually treat p as a constant. Thus, for such cases,
F = ∫ p dA = p ∫ dA = pA

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 Forces on a Plane Area.

 In case of liquids the distribution of pressure is generally not uniform,

so further analysis is necessary. Let us consider a vertical plane whose
upper edge lies in the free surface of liquid as shown in fig,
 The total force on one side of the plane is the sum
of the products of the elementary areas and the
pressure upon them.
 From the pressure distribution, we can see that the
resultant of this system of parallel forces must act
at a point below the centroid of the area, since the
centroid of an area is the point where the resultant
of a system of uniform parallel forces would act.
 If we lower the plane to the position M' N', the
proportionate change of pressure from M' to N', is
less than it was from M to N. Hence the resultant
pressure force will act nearer to the centroid of the
plane surface.
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 Force on a Plane Area.

 In fig let MN be the edge of a plane area making an angle θ with the
horizontal. The pressure distribution over the sloping area forms a
pressure prism (MNKJ times width in fig), whose volume is equal to
the total force F acting on the pressure prism,
 If the width x is constant then we can easily compute the volume of
the pressure prism, using a mean pressure = 0.5 (MJ+NK), and so
obtain F.
 If x varies, we must integrate to
find F. Let h be the variable depth
to any point and let y be the
corresponding distance from OX.

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 Forces on a Plane Area.
 Choose an element of area so that the pressure over the area is
uniform. Such an element is a horizontal strip, of width x, so dA = xdy ,
as p = γh and h = ysinθ
the force dF on the horizontal strip is
dF = p dA = γh dA= γ ysinθ dA
Integrating, F = ∫ dF = γ sinθ ∫ y dA = γ sinθ yc A
 Where yc is, by definition, the distance from OX along the sloping
plane to the centroid C of the area A.
 If hc is the vertical depth to the centroid, then hc = yc sinθ,
and in general we have F = γhc A
 Thus we find the total force on any plane area submerged in a liquid by
multiplying the specific weight of the liquid by the product of the area and the
depth of its centroid.
 The value of F is independent of the angle of inclination of the plane so long
as the depth of its centroid is unchanged.
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 Center of pressure.

 Def: The point of application of the resultant pressure force on a

submerged area is called the center of pressure.
 We need to know its location whenever we whish to work with the
moment of this force.
 The line of action of the resultant pressure force must pass through the
centroid of the pressure prism (volume).
 If the shape of submerged area is not so
regular. i.e if the width x in fig varies,
then we must take moments and
integrate. Taking OX in fig as
an axis of moment, the moment
of elementary force dF = γ ysinθ dA is
ydF = γ y2 sinθ dA

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 Center of pressure.

 If the shape of submerged area is not so regular. i.e if the width x in fig
varies, then we must take moments and integrate. Taking OX in fig as
an axis of moment, the moment of elementary force dF = γ ysinθ dA is
ydF = γ y2 sinθ dA
and if yp denotes the distance to the center
of pressure, using the basic concept that
the moment of the resultant force equals
the sum of the moments of the component
forces, yp F = γ sinθ ∫y2 dA = γ sinθ Io
; Io is the moment of inertia of the plane area about axis OX.
if we divide this last expression by value of F = = γ sinθ yc A, we obtain
yp = γ sinθ Io / γ sinθ yc A = Io / yc A

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 Center of pressure. yp = Io / yc A
 The product yc A is the static moment of area A about OX. Therefore
this equation tells us that we can obtain the distance from the center of
pressure to the axis where the plane intersects the liquid surface by
dividing the moment of inertia of the area A about the surface axis by its
static moment about the same axis.
 From parallel axis theorem, Io = A yc2 + Ic
; Ic is the moment of inertia of an area about its centroidal axis. By
substituting for Io, yp = A yc2 + Ic /Ayc
so yp = yc + Ic /Ayc
 From this equation we again see that the location of center of pressure P
is
independent of the angle θ; that is, we can rotate the plane area about axis
OX without affecting the location of P.
 Also, we see that P is always below the centroid C and that, as the depth of

immersion is
CE increased,
206 yc increases andA Khan
Dr. Fayaz therefore P approaches C. 9
 Force on a Curved Surface.

 On any curved or warped surface such as MN in fig, the force on the various
elementary areas that make up the curved surface
are different in direction and magnitude, so an
algebraic sum is impossible.

 Hence we can apply equation F = γhc A only to a

plane area. But for nonplanar areas, we can find
components forces in certain directions, and
often without integration.

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 Horizontal Force on Curved Surface.

 We may project any irregular curved area MN onto a vertical plane

whose trace is M' N' as shown in fig. The projecting elements which are all
horizontal, enclose a volume whose ends are the vertical
plane M' N' and the irregular area MN.
 This volume of liquid is in static equilibrium. A force
F' acts on the projected vertical area M' N'.
 The horizontal force component Fx' acts on the irregular
end area MN and is equal and opposite to Fx .
 Gravity force W' is vertical, and the lateral force on all the horizontal
projection elements are normal to these elements and hence normal to F' .
 Thus the only horizontal force on MN N' M' are F' and Fx' and therefore,
F' - Fx' = 0
and Fx = Fx' = F'

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 Horizontal Force on Curved Surface.

 Hence the horizontal force in any given direction on any area is equal to the
force on the projection of that area onto a vertical
plane normal to the given direction.
 The line of action of Fx must be the same as that of F'.
 The previous equation applies to both gases and liquid.
 In case of a gas the horizontal force on a curved surface
is equal to the pressure multiplied by the projection of
that area onto a vertical plane normal to the force.

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 Vertical Force on Curved Surface.

 We can find the vertical force Fz on a curved or warped

area, such as MN in the fig, by considering the volume of
liquid enclosed by the area and vertical elements extending
to the free surface. This volume is in static equilibrium.
 The only vertical forces on this volume of liquid are
the force FG = pG A due to any gas above the liquid,
the gravity force W downward, and Fz ' , the upward
vertical force on the irregular area MN.
 The force Fz ' is equal and opposite to the force Fz .
therefore Fz ' – W – FG = 0
and F z = F z ' = W + FG
 Therefore the vertical force acting on any area is equal to
the weight of the volume of liquid above it, plus any
superimposed gas pressure above it.
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 Vertical Force on Curved Surface.
 The line of action of Fz is the resultant of FG and W.
 FG must pass through the centroid of the plan (surface projection)
area, and W must pass through the center of gravity of the
liquid volume.

 The portion of this volume above M'M has a regular shape with volume equal

to height times projected plan area, and has its centroid beneath the centroid
of the plan area; the other portion, below M'M and above the curved surface
MN, may have a difficult shape and so may require integration to find its
volume andCEcentroid.
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 Vertical Force on Curved Surface.

 If only a gas is involved, the procedure is similar, but is much simpler

because W is negligible.

 For the case where a force acts on the lower side of the surface but on the
upper side, the vertical force component is the same in magnitude as that
given by the equation Fz = Fz ' = W + FG but opposite in direction.

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 Resultant Force on Curved Surface.

 In general, there is no single resultant force on an irregular area, because the

horizontal and vertical forces, as found in the previous discussion, may not be
in the same plane.

 But in certain cases these two forces will lie in the same plane and then we
can combine them into a single forces.

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 Buoyancy and Stability of Submerged and
Floating Bodies.

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 Submerged Body.

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 Submerged Body.
 Stability.

 When we give a body in equilibrium a slight angular displacement (tilt or

list)
a horizontal distance a then separates W and FB , which in combination
creates moment that tend to rotate the body, as we see in fig.
Net lift = FB - W
Righting moment = W x a if W < FB
= FB x a if W > FB
 If the moments tends to restore the body to its
original position, the lesser of the two is called the
righting moment, and we say the body is in stable
equilibrium .
 The stability of submerged or floating bodies depends on the relative
positions of the buoyant force and weight of the body.
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 Submerged Body.

 Stability.

 The buoyant force act through the center of buoyancy B, which corresponds
to the center of gravity of the displaced fluid.
 The criterion for stability of a fully submerged body
is that the center of buoyancy is above the center of
gravity of the body.
 From the fig, we can see that if B were initially
below G, the center of gravity, then the moment
created by a tilt would tend to increase the
displacement.

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 Floating Body.

 If density of a body is less than that of the liquid, it will rise and float on the
surface as in fig, so that W = FB .
 The forces then acting on body AHBK are gravity and the pressure of the
fluids in contact with it.
 The vertical component of force on the
undersurface is Fz ' and this is equal to the
weight of the volume of liquid AKB. This
volume id the volume of liquid displaced by
the body.

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 Floating Body.

 Buoyancy.

 The buoyancy force acting on a floating body is equal to the weight of liquid
displaced. Thus a floating body displaces a volume of liquid equivalent to its
weight.
 For equilibrium, the two forces W and FB must be equal and opposite, and
must lie in the same vertical line.
 The atmospheric pressure has no net effect, as it is transmitted through the
liquid to act equally on all the surfaces.

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CE 206 Dr. Fayaz A Khan 23
 Floating Body.
 Stability.
 If a righting moment develops when a floating body lists, the body will be
stable regardless of whether the center of buoyancy is above or below the
center of gravity.
 Examples of stable and unstable floating bodies are given in fig.
 The stable body has B above G,
and for unstable B is below G.
 However for floating bodies note
that the location of B below G
does not guarantee instability as
it does in for submerged bodies.

 This is because the position of B can move relative to the body as it tilts, due
to its shape. Whereas for a fully submerged body the position of B is fixed
relative to the body. The fig on next slide illustrate this point.
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 Floating Body.
 Stability.

 In the fig, from the x-section through the hull of a ship we can see that it is
stable even though B is below G.
 Because of the x-sectional shape, as the ship tilts to the right the center of
gravity of the displaced water
(i.e., B) moves to the right
further than the line of action
of the body weight W, and so
the buoyancy provides a
righting moment FB x a.
 Clearly, therefore, the stabilities of many floating bodies ( those with B
below
G) depends upon their shape.

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 Thank You

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