Hydrostatic Force on a Submerged Plane Surface

Horizontal Plane Surface

• If a surface is submerged in a fluid, forces develop on the
surface due to the fluid.
• The determination of these forces is important in the
design of storage tanks, ships, dams, and other hydraulic
structures.
• For fluids at rest, the force must be perpendicular to the
surface because no shearing stresses are present.
• The pressure is linear with depth if the fluid is
incompressible.
• For a horizontal surface, where is the uniform pressure
on the surface, and is the area of the surface.
• The resultant force on the surface is simply due to the
liquid in the tank. Since the pressure is constant and
uniformly distributed over the surface, acts through the
centroid of the area.
 Inclined Plane Surface 1-1
At any depth (), the force acting on the area is given by:
where

, where

The term () is the first moment of the area with respect to the x axis.

Where is the y coordinate of the centroid. Therefore:

where

𝐹 𝑅 =𝛾 𝐴 h𝑐
𝐹 𝑅 =𝛾 𝐴 h𝑐
 Inclined Plane Surface 1-2
Remark: For inclined surface the resultant force is acting on the center of pressure (cp) and not on the centroid.

We know that the moment of the resultant force must equal the moment of the distributed pressure force:

Since

The term , is the second moment of area (moment of inertia, ):

Where is the second moment of the area with respect to an axis passing through its centroid and parallel to the x axis.
Thus:

𝐼 𝑥𝑐
𝑦 𝑅= + 𝑦𝑐
𝑦𝑐 𝐴
 Inclined Plane Surface 1-3

The x-coordinate, , for the resultant force is given by:

And therefore;

Where is the second moment of inertia with respect to the x and y axes

Where is the product of inertia with respect to an orthogonal coordinate system passing through the centroid of the area
 Inclined Plane Surface 1-4
Shape (A) Shape (A)
 Inclined Plane Surface 1-5

Force on submerged inclined surface:

Force y-Coordinate of the force x-Coordinate of the force

Notes:
• For symmetric geometry and
• The point through which the resultant force acts is called the center of pressure (cp).
• The center of pressure (cp) always deeper than the centroid for inclined surface.
• The center of pressure (cp) locates at the centroid for horizontal surface.
 Example 5

• The 4-m-diameter circular gate of Fig. below is located in the inclined wall of a large reservoir
containing water (). The gate is mounted on a shaft along its horizontal diameter. For a water depth
of 10 m above the shaft determine: (a) the magnitude and location of the resultant force exerted on
the gate by the water, and (b) the moment that would have to be applied to the shaft to open the
gate.

𝐹 𝑅 =𝛾 𝐴 h𝑐 ⇒ 𝐹 𝑅 =( 9.80 × 1000 ) ( 4 𝜋 ) ( 10 ) =1.23 MN

𝐼 𝑥𝑐 𝐼𝑥 𝑦𝑐
𝑦 𝑅= + 𝑦 𝑐 𝑥𝑅= + 𝑥 𝑐 =0
𝑦𝑐 𝐴 𝑦𝑐 𝐴
4
𝜋 𝑅 𝐼 𝑥𝑐
𝐼 𝑥𝑐 = 𝑦 𝑅= + 𝑦 𝑐 =11.6
4 𝑦𝑐 𝐴
∑ 𝑀 c= 0
5
𝑀 =𝐹 𝑅 ( 𝑦 𝑅 − 𝑦 𝑐 ) =1.07 ×10 N ∙ m
 Example 6

• A large fish tank contains seawater () to a depth of 10 ft as shown in Fig a. To repair some damage
to one corner of the tank, a triangular section is replaced with a new section as illustrated in Fig b
and c. Determine the magnitude and location of the force of the seawater on this triangular area.

𝐹 𝑅 =𝛾 h 𝑐 𝐴 ⇒ 𝐹 𝑅 =( 64 ) ( 9 ) ( 4 .5 )=2950 Ib
𝐼 𝐼𝑥 𝑦𝑐
𝑦 𝑅 = 𝑥𝑐 + 𝑦 𝑐 𝑥𝑅= + 𝑥 𝑐 =0
𝑦𝑐 𝐴 𝑦𝑐 𝐴
3
𝑎𝑏 𝑏𝑎
3
𝐼 𝑥𝑐 = 𝐼 𝑥𝑦𝑐 =
36 36
3
3 ×3 3 ×3
3
𝐼 𝑥𝑐 = =2.25 𝐼 𝑥 𝑦 𝑐= =1.125
36 36
𝑦 𝑅 =9.06 ft 𝑥 𝑅 =0.00278 ft
 Submerged Curved Surface 1-1

• The forces on a submerged curved surfaces can be composed into vertical and horizontal components:

• Horizontal Component:

𝐹2
𝐹𝐻

𝐹 𝐻 =The force on the projection of the curved surface= 𝐹 2

 Submerged Curved Surface 1-2

The forces on a submerged curved surfaces can be composed into vertical and horizontal
components:

• Vertical Component:

𝐹 𝑉 =The weight of the fluid above the curved surface=𝒲 + 𝐹 1

𝑣𝑜𝑙2

𝑣𝑜𝑙1
 Example 7

• The 6-ft-diameter drainage conduit of Figure below is half full of water () at rest. Determine the
magnitude and line of action of the resultant force that the water exerts on a 1-ft length of the
curved section BC of the conduit wall.

• Horizontal Component

0.5 𝑅 𝐹2
𝐹1 𝐹𝐻
𝑅=3 ft 𝐹𝐻
1
ft
 Example 7

• Vertical Component

2
𝐴=𝜋 𝑅 / 4
1
ft

𝐹𝑉
 Buoyancy

• Archimedes’ Principle: 𝑝0
“The buoyant force has a magnitude equal to the weight of the fluid displaced
by the body and is directed vertically upward.”

𝑑𝐹 𝑧 =( 𝑝 0+ 𝜌 𝑔 h2 ) 𝑑𝐴 − ( 𝑝 0 + 𝜌 𝑔 h1 ) 𝑑𝐴 = 𝜌 𝑔 ( h 2 − h1 ) 𝑑𝐴 𝑑𝐴

𝑑𝐹 𝑧 =𝛾 ( h2 − h1 ) 𝑑𝐴
𝑑𝑉
𝑑𝑉( h2 − h1 ) 𝑑𝐴
¿

𝐹 𝐵 =𝛾 𝑉 where V is the displaced volume

The buoyant force, which is
the force of the fluid on the
body, has a magnitude equal
always acted on the centroid of the displaced volume
to the weight of the fluid
and it is called “center of buoyancy”
displaced by the body and is
directed vertically upward
 Example 8

• A spherical buoy has a diameter of D = 1.5 m, weighs W = 8.50 kN, and is anchored to the sea floor with
a cable as is shown in Figure below. Although the buoy normally floats on the surface, at certain times
the water depth increases so that the buoy is completely immersed as illustrated. For this condition what
is the tension of the cable? ()
 Example 9

• A spherical ball floats in water () where one-fourth of its volume is above the water surface. What is the
specific weight of the ball?
 Example 9

• A spherical ball floats in water () where one-fourth of its volume is above the water surface. What is the
specific weight of the ball?

(
Stability of Floating body
Pressure Variation in a Fluid with Linear Rigid-Body Motion

• Recall Newton's 2nd law per unit volume:

• Recall the component form of Newton’s law in Cartesian coordinate: 𝑧

𝑎 𝑦
𝑦
𝑥
 Linear Motion

• Consider an open container of a liquid that is translating along a 𝑧

straight path with a constant acceleration
𝑦
𝑥

𝑧
𝑦
𝑥
𝒂
 Linear Motion

• The change in pressure between two closely spaced points located at y, z, and can
be expressed as

𝒂
 Linear Motion

• In case and , the pressure distribution is not hydrostatic, but is given by

the equation:

𝑎𝑧
 Example 10

• The cross section for the fuel tank of an experimental vehicle is shown in the figure below. The rectangular tank
is vented to the atmosphere, and a pressure transducer is located in its side as illustrated. During testing of the
vehicle, the tank is subjected to a constant linear acceleration, . Determine an expression that relates and the
pressure at the transducer (in ) for a fuel with a (SG = 0.65). What is the maximum acceleration that can occur
before the fuel level drops below the transducer? ()

𝑑𝑧 𝑎𝑦
=− , no acceleration∈the z −direction ( 𝑎 𝑧 =0 )
𝑑𝑦 g +𝑎 𝑧

𝑑𝑧
𝑑𝑦
𝑎 𝑧 𝑎 𝑎
=− 𝑦 ⇒ − 1 =− 𝑦 ⇒ 𝑧 1=0.75 𝑦
g 0.75 g g ( )
𝑝=𝛾 h
𝑝=0.68 ×62.4 × 0.75
𝑎𝑦
g ( ( ))