Pedagogy and Basics of Fluid Mechanics

P M V Subbarao
Professor
Mechanical Engineering Department

An Engineering Science to Create Forces for

Human Development…
A Pedagogy to turn a Science Sudent into A
Sophomore engineering student.
The Pedagogical Value of Fluid Mechanics

• The Curriculum of fluid mechanics for sophomores at university

level injects the requirements of engineering education and
productive pedagogy in the new era.
• Productive Pedagogy is based on Four corners, namely
• Intellectual quality.
• Connectedness.
• Supportive learning environment.
• Recognition of difference.
• The contents Fluid Mechanics curricula comply with the
outcomes which match the international standards.
 Introduction of Fluid Mechanics
• A Pedagogy to turn a science student into engineering student.
• The corner stone of Fluid Mecanics is introduction of the
framework of conservation and accounting.
• Recollection of some fundamental physical variables which
naturally show the behavior of conservation and amicable for
accounting.
• Develop more pseudo variables which can be cast into this
framework for better problem solving.
• Two (or three) hours of introduction to introduce, explain the
framework along with training of student with case studies.
Means of Simple Statics : Level 1 Innovation

• Simplified Clues to design containers, gates and general

immersed bodies.
• Fluid Statics: Hydrostatic force on submerged surfaces,
Buoyancy and stability, Fluids in rigid-body motion.
 Means of Simple Kinematics : Level 2
Innovation

• Simplified Clues to shape reducers, nozzles, diffusers,

blenders & Mixers…?
• Flow kinematics: Flow lines (streamlines, pathlines, streak
lines), vorticity and circulation, applications to
aerodynamics.
 Viscous Fluid Flows : Level 3 Innovation

• To demonstrate when and how deep an engineer is bound to dive

into the problem.
• Where he should use exact mathematical methods and where
approximations are essential.
• Conservation laws
• Navier-Stokes Equations
• Various solutions of NS equations…
• Flow Variations
• Advanced topics….
 William Thomson (Lord Kelvin)
(1824 --1907)

Now I think hydrodynamics is to be the root of all

physical sciences,……...
 The Law of Learning

one fourth from the teacher, one fourth from own intelligence,
one fourth from classmates, and one fourth only with time.

Mahabharath
 The Surprising Actions in Fluid systems

• Compared to solids fluids seem almost alive, magical.

• They flow, change form to accommodate the surroundings,
produce gurgling sounds, and refract light to produce shimmer.
• There are few things that can match the majesty of a waterfall or
the wind.

• What causes (Primarily) fluids to flow?

 Solids vs Fluids : Microscopic View

Solid Fluid
Solids vs Fluids : Macroscopic View
 Solids vs Fluids : Engineering View

A fluid continually deforms

A solid resists an applied (flows) under an applied shear
force by static force regardless of the
deformation. magnitude of the applied stress.