Chapter 3: Hydrostatic Forces

Learning outcomes
By the end of this chapter students should be able to: Understand hydrostatics concept and principles. Able to calculate hydrostatic forces for plane, inclined & curved surfaces and by pressure diagrams. Able to calculate centre of pressure for plane, inclined & curved surfaces and by pressure diagrams.

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Introduction
Fluid statics deals with problems associated with fluid at rest. In fluid statics, there is no relative motion between adjacent fluid layers. Therefore no shear stresses in the fluid trying to deform it. The only stress we deal with in fluid statics is the normal stress i.e. pressure. The force exerted on a fluid at rest is normal to the surface at the point of contact.
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Introduction
Principles in hydrostatics: There are no shear stresses. The pressure exerted by a fluid under hydrostatics condition at any depth is equal in all directions. The pressure acts perpendicular to an immersed surface. Hydrostatic pressure varies linearly, increasing with an increase in depth.

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Hydrostatic forces on plane surfaces

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Hydrostatic forces on plane surfaces

If the plane surface is horizontal as in figure above, the pressure anywhere on the plane surface is given by, p gh The resultant force, F pA

gAh
Where A h g

= mass density of fluid = surface area = depth from free water surface = gravity acceleration
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Example 3.1
A rectangular tank 6 m and 3 m wide contains water up to a depth of 2.5 m. Calculate the pressure and resultant hydrostatic force on the base of the tank.
p gh 9810 2.5 24525 Pa

2.5 m
F p A 24525 6 3 441.45kN

6m

3m

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Hydrostatic forces on inclined surfaces

F gAhG
I G sin 2 hP hG AhG

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Geometrical properties of common figures

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Example 3.2
An inclined rectangular gate, 1.5 m by 1.0 m with water on one side is shown in Fig 3.3. Determine the total resultant force acting on the gate and locate its centre of pressure.

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Example 3.3
A circular butterfly gate pivoted about a horizontal axis passing through its centroid is subjected to hydrostatic thrust on one side and counterbalanced by a force F, applied at the bottom as shown in Fig. 3.4 If the diameter of the gate is 4 m and the water depth is 2 m above the gate, determine the force F required to keep the gate in position.

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Example 3.4 (Bansal, 2003)

A rectangular plane surface is 2 m wide and 3 m deep. It lies in vertical plane in water. Determine the resultant force and position of centre of pressure on the plane surface when its upper edge is horizontal and (a) coincides with water surface, (b)2.5 m below free surface.

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Example 3.5 (Douglas, 2006)

A trapezoidal opening in the vertical wall of a tank is closed by a flat plate which is hinged at its upper edge (as shown in figure). The plate is symmetrical about its centreline and is 1.5 m deep. Its upper edge is 2.7 m long and its lower edge is 1.2 m long. The free surface of the water in the tank stands 1.1 m above the upper edge of the plate. Calculate the moment about the hinge line required to keep the gate close.

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Example 3.6 (Bansal, 2003)

A circular plate 3.0 m diameter with a concentric circular hole of 1.5 m diameter is immersed in water in such a way that its greatest and least depth below the free surface are 4 m and 1.5 m respectively. Determine the resultant force on one face of the plate and the position of the centre of pressure.

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Example 3.7
A triangular plate is immersed in a liquid of specific gravity 0.85. The plate has a circular hole with a diameter of 1.0 m. Determine the total force in kN acting on the plane. Locate the centre of pressure.

4m

2m

0.6 m
1m

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Pressure diagram
h1 gh1 gh1 h1

h2
gh2

h2

gh2

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 Another method to determine hydrostatic force & CP. General principal: Hydrostatic force per unit width of immersed surface is given by the area of the pressure diagram. The FR is given by the volume of pressure prism. CP is given by the location of the centroid pressure diagram.

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Example 3.12
A 2 m x 3 m tank with vertical sides contains oil of density 900 kg/m3 to a depth of 0.8 m, which floats on 1.2 m depth of water as shown in figure. Calculate the resultant hydrostatic force and its location on the 3 m side of the tank.

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Example 3.13 (Douglas, 2006)

A closed tank, rectangular in plan with the vertical sides, is 1.8 m deep and contains water to a depth of 1.2 m. Air is pumped into the space above the water until the air pressure is 35 kNm-2 . If the length of one wall of the tank is 3 m, determine the resultant force on this wall and the height of the centre of pressure above the base.
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Suhaimi 3.1
A tank shown in Fig. is filled with oil (SG 0.8) and water to a depth of 10 and 6 metres respectively. Using the method of pressure diagram, find the resultant force from all fluids acting on the gate of 1.8 m by 9 m. Ans:494.424 kN
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Suhaimi 3.3
An inclined plane surfac is submerged in liquid of specific weight . If the width of the surface is b find a general expression for the resultant force F and the centre of pressure h.

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Suhaimi 3.4
The gate shown in Fig. is 2 m wide and 6 m long, hinged at point B. If the weight of the gate is 10000 kg, determine the force in the bar AD. Ans: 102.748 kN

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Suhaimin 3.6
A door 0.7 m by 1.6 m high hinged at A, separates oil and water as shown in Fig. The left side has 1.6 m of oil (SG 1.5) while the right side contains 0.9 m of water. Calculate the force P (magnitude and direction) required to keep the door close? Ans: 9.333 kN/m

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Review of past semesters final exam questions