ON SURFACES

FLUMEC 315
Hydrostatic Force on a Plane Surface
When a surface is submerged in a fluid, forces develop on
the surface due to the fluid and these forces must be
perpendicular to the surface since there is no shearing stresses
present. It is also known that pressure vary linearly with depth.
For a horizontal surface, the pressure is uniformly distributed
over the area.
Hydrostatic Force on a Plane Surface
For a more general case,
consider an inclined plate, with an
arbitrary shape and with an area equal
to A, submerged in a fluid where the
surface is open to the atmosphere. Let
the plane in which the surface lies
intersect the free surface at O and
make an angle θ with this surface. The
x-y coordinate system is defined so that
O is the origin. It is desired to
determine the direction, location and
magnitude of the resultant force acting
on one side of this area due to its
contact with the fluid.
Hydrostatic Force on a Plane Surface
Magnitude of F
dF  pdA
h y
h ȳ
yF
p  γh  γ( y sin  )
dF  γ( y sin  )dA
dF
F

F  A γ( y sin  )dA

x F  γ sin  A ydA
A ydA  yA
A
F  γ sin  ( yA)
c.g. dA

x y sin   h
xF cp
F  γh A F  pcg A
Hydrostatic Force on a Plane Surface
Location of F
Fy F   ydF
h
h y
ȳ dF  γ y sin  dA
yF
dF Fy F  A y (γ y sin  dA)
F
Fy F  γsin  A y 2 dA
I x  A y 2 dA
x
( γ y sin  A) y F  γsin  I x

A
yF 
Ix ; I x  I x  Ay 2
c.g. dA Ay
x
xF cp I x  Ay 2 Ix
yF   y
Ay Ay
Hydrostatic Force on a Plane Surface
Location of F
FxF   xdF
h
h y
ȳ dF  γ y sin  dA
yF
dF FxF  A x(γ y sin  dA)
F
FxF  γsin  A xydA
I xy  A xydA
( γ y sin  A) xF  γsin  I xy
x

I xy
A
xF  ; I xy  I xy  Ax y
c.g. dA Ay
x
xF cp I x  Ax y I xy
xF  x
Ay Ay
Hydrostatic Force on a Plane Surface
Common Shapes
1 3
Ix  ba
12
1 3
Iy  ab
12
I xy  0  I x  0.1098R 4
Ix  Iy  R4
4
I y  0.3927 R 4
I xy  0
I xy  0

ba 3
Ix 
36
I x  I y  0.05488 R 4
ba 2
I xy  (b  2d ) I xy  0.01647 R 4
72
Sample Problem
1. A vertical rectangular plate of height d and base b submerged
in a liquid has its top edge at the liquid surface. Determine the
total force acting on one side of the plate and its location from
the liquid surface.
2. A triangular surface of height d and base b submerged in a
liquid with its vertex at the liquid surface. The plane that
contains the surface is inclined at an angle θ from the
horizontal Determine the total force acting on one side of the
plate and its location from the liquid surface.
3. A vertical rectangular plate of height d and base b is
submerged half in oil (s = 0.8) and half in water such that its
top edge is flushed with the oil surface. What is the ratio of the
force acting on the lower half to the force acting on the upper
half?
Sample Problem
The 4-m diameter circular gate is located in
the inclined wall of a large reservoir
containing water. The gate is mounted on a
shaft along its horizontal diameter and the
water depth is 10 m above the shaft.
Determine (a) the magnitude and the 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..
Sample Problem
An aquarium contains sea water (γ = 10.1 kN/m3) to a depth of 0.30 m as
shown. To repair some damage to one corner of the tank, a triangular section
is replaced with a new section. Determine (a) the magnitude of the force of
the sea water on this triangular area, and (b) the location of this force.
Sample Problem
A structure is attached to the ocean floor as shown. A 1-m radius quarter-
circular hatch is located in an inclined wall and hinged horizontally on one of
its radial sides. Determine the minimum air pressure within the container that
will open the hatch. Neglect the weight of the hatch and the friction in the
hinge.
Sample Problem
A gate having the cross section shown in the figure is 1.2 m wide and is
hinged at C. The gate weighs 80.0 kN and its mass center is 0.5 m to the right
of plane BC. Determine the reaction at A and C on the gate when the water
level is 0.9 m above he base. All contact surfaces are smooth.
Pressure Prism
A useful graphical interpretation can be made for the
force developed by a fluid acting on a rectangular plane area.
Consider the pressure distribution along a vertical wall of a tank
at constant width b, which contains a liquid having a specific
gravity γ. The magnitude of the resultant fluid force is equal to
the volume of the pressure prism and passes through its
centroid.
Pressure Prism
The same graphical approach can be made for
rectangular surfaces that do not extend up to the fluid surface.
The concept of pressure prism is best suited for plane
rectangular surfaces.
Sample Problem
The gate shown in the figure is hinged at A and rest on a smooth floor at B.
The gate is 3 m square and oil having specific gravity of 0.82 stands to a
height of 1.5 m above hinge A. The air above the oil surface is under a
pressure of 7 kPa above atmosphere. If the gate weighs 5 kN, determine the
vertical force F required to open it.
 Hydrostatic Force on Curved Surfaces
For submerged curved
surfaces, the determination of the
resultant force is more involved
since it typically requires integration
of the pressure forces that changes
direction along the curved surface.
And the concept of pressure prism is
not much of help because of
complicated shapes involved. To
determine the resultant hydrostatic
force FR acting on a two-
dimensional curved surface is to
determine the horizontal and
vertical components FH and FV
separately.
Hydrostatic Force on Curved Surfaces
Consider the free body diagram of the liquid block enclosed by the
curved surface and the two plane surfaces (one horizontal and one vertical)
passing through the two ends of the curved surface. Note that the vertical
surface of the liquid block considered is simply the projection of the curved
surface on a vertical plane and the horizontal surface is the projection of the
curved surface on the horizontal plane.
Hydrostatic Force on Curved Surfaces
1. The horizontal component of the hydrostatic force acting on a curved
surface is equal (in magnitude and line of action) to the hydrostatic force
acting on the vertical projection of the curved surface.
2. The vertical component of the hydrostatic force acting on the curved
surface is equal to the hydrostatic force acting on the horizontal projection
of the curved surface, plus (minus if acting in the opposite direction) the
weight of the fluid block.
Hydrostatic Force on Curved Surfaces
1. The horizontal component of the
hydrostatic force acting on a curved surface
is equal (in magnitude and line of action) to
the hydrostatic force acting on the vertical
projection of the curved surface.
2. The vertical component of the hydrostatic
force acting on the curved surface is equal
to the hydrostatic force acting on the
horizontal projection of the curved surface,
plus (minus if acting in the opposite
direction) the weight of the fluid block.
Hydrostatic Force on Curved Surfaces
1. The horizontal component of the
hydrostatic force acting on a curved surface
is equal (in magnitude and line of action) to
the hydrostatic force acting on the vertical
projection of the curved surface.
2. The vertical component of the hydrostatic
force acting on the curved surface is equal
to the hydrostatic force acting on the
horizontal projection of the curved surface,
plus (minus if acting in the opposite
direction) the weight of the fluid block.
Sample Problem
A 4-m long curved gate is located in the side of the reservoir containing water
as shown. Determine the magnitude of the horizontal and vertical components
of the force of the water on the gate. Will this pass through point A.
Sample Problem
The crest gate shown consist of a cylindrical surface of which AB is the base
supported by a structural frame hinged at O. The length of the gate is 10 m.
Compute the magnitude and location of the horizontal and vertical
components on the total pressure on AB.
Sample Problem
A hemispherical dome shown is filled with oil (s = 0.9) and is attached to the
floor by 6-diametrically opposed bolts of uniform sizes. Determine the
required diameter of each bolts if its tensile strength is 414 MPa. Use a factor
of safety of 1.2 for the bolts.
Sample Problem
A 2m diameter horizontal cylinder 2 m long plugs a 1m × 2m
rectangular hole at the bottom of the tank. With what force is the
cylinder pressed against the bottom of the tank due to the 4-m
depth of water.
Sample Problem
An inverted conical plug 400 mm diameter and 300 mm long
closes a 200 mm diameter circular hole at the bottom of the tank
containing 600 mm of oil having a specific gravity of 0.82.
Determine the minimum vertical force required to pull up the
plug.
Sample Problem
The cylindrical tank shown has a hemispherical end cap. Compute the
horizontal and vertical components of the total force acting on the
hemisphere.
Dams
Dams are structures built for the
purpose of impounding water, irrigation
and power supply. Dams are subjected
to hydrostatic forces to water which is
raised on its upstream side. These forces
causes the dam to slide horizontally on
its foundation and overturn it about its
downstream edge of toe. These
tendencies are resisted by friction on the
base of the dam and the gravitational
forces creates moments opposites to the
overturning moments.
Sample Problem
Given the section of a masonry dam shown. The specific weight of water is
9.81 kN/m3 and that of concrete is 23.54 kN/m3. Assuming uplift pressure to
vary linearly from maximum hydrostatic pressure at the heel to zero at the toe
(drain is closed) , determine (a) location of the resultant force acting on the
dam, (b) factor of safety against sliding if the coefficient of friction is 0.75, (c)
factor of safety against overturning, (d) the stress at the heel and at the toe,
and (e) the unit horizontal shearing stress at the base.