Hydrostatic Forces Centre of Pressure

Introduction
Many engineering structures such as dams, flood control gates and fluid storage
tanks are essential components of large hydraulic structures. Many of these
structures are constructed to provide water supply and irrigation and they play an
important role in maintaining the well-being of mankind. The design of these
components necessitates the understanding of how fluid forces act. Such designs
require not only determination of the magnitude of the resultant force but also its
point of action, which is known as the centre of pressure (y P). With this
information, engineers can design the hydraulic structure to withstand the
hydrostatic forces.
In this experiment, you will be using an immersed quadrant tank (Figure 1) pivoted
at a knife-edge pivot to determine the centre of pressure for different values of
hydrostatic force. This is achieved by computing the moment, M required to counter
the moment induced by the hydrostatic force due to water acting on the quadrant
tank. The restoring (counter-clockwise) moment needed to overcome the clockwise
moment (about the pivot) caused by water is effected by placing known weights on
the left-hand end of the apparatus. In the experiment, if the clockwise moment
(induced by water) just balances the counter-clockwise moment (caused by the
weights), the moment arm and hence the centre of pressure can be computed. The
latter can then be compared with that calculated theoretically.

Figure 1. Hydrostatic Forces Apparatus Quadrant Tank

Objective

To determine the hydrostatic thrust acting on a plane surface immersed in

water

To determine the position of the line of action of the thrust (centre of

pressure) and to compare the position determined experimentally and that
determined theoretically.

Theory
The diagrammatic representation of the apparatus is shown in Figure 2 below.

Figure 2. Dimensions of Quadrant Tank

Considering the physics governing the hydrostatic forces acting on the quadrant
tank, and the moments exerted about the pivot, it is important to recognize that
there are two different cases:
1. Partly submerged
2. Fully submerged
Whilst the theory governing both these cases is the same, it is however clearer to
consider them separately.
Before we go into the detail of considering the forces and moments, it is important
to reiterate that the moments exerted by water on the curve surfaces of the
quadrant tank about the pivot point is zero. This is because the hydrostatic force
acting on any point on the quadrant is normal to the tangent to that point. Hence
the resultant force acting on the curve portion of the quadrant tank has no moment
arm about the pivot axis (the pivot is located at the centre of the quarter-circle).
Therefore, the only moment exerted by water about the pivot point is caused by the
horizontal thrust acting on the vertical face of the quadrant tank. In conducting the
computation, we need to do equate the moment caused by the horizontal thrust
about the pivot point to that induced by the weight on the balance pan.
First case: Partly Submerged Vertical Plane Surface

Figure 3 shows the diagrammatic representation of the apparatus when the

quadrant tank is partially submerged. This refers to the condition where the water
level is equal to or less than the top level of the vertical face of the quadrant tank.

Figure 3. Partly Submerged Vertical Plane Surface

Symbols in Figure 3 are defines as below:
d = depth of the immersion (for partially submerged case, d <= D);
F = horizontal hydrostatic thrust acting on the vertical quadrant face;
h = depth of centroid or vertical distance of centroid from water surface;
h = depth of centre of pressure or vertical distance from centre of pressure from
water surface, also known as yp;
h = distance of the line of action of thrust below the pivot or moment arm of the
horizontal thrust about the pivot point.
Based on the above definition, it can be easily determined that:
yp = h (H d)
From Fluid Mechanics, we know we can compute the hydrostatic thrust acting on a
plane surface by:

F = gAh
In which
A = area = Bd since we have a partially submerged rectangular surface;

h = vertical distance from water surface to the centroid of the place surface =
0.5d;
= density of water;
g = gravitational acceleration.
By substituting these into the governing equation, we get:
F = 1/2 gBd2
The moment (counter-clockwise), Mcc exerted by the thrust on the pivot point
can be computed using:
Mcc = Fh
The clockwise moment, Mc that counteract the counter-clockwise moment is
produced by the weight applied to the hanger on the left hand end of the
balance arm, and can be computed from:
Mc = WL
Where W = mass x gravitational acceleration = mg.
By equating the two moments, we can obtain the following:
" = /= 2/(Bd2)
Thus the centre of pressure, yp can be calculated from:
yp = h"(Hd) =2/(Bd2)(Hd)
Using the above equation of yp, we can determine the experimental centre of
pressure, and this can be compared with that calculated theoretically. From Fluid
Mechanics, we know that the centre of pressure can be determined using the
following equation:
yp (theory) = h + Ic / Ah
Where Ic = second moment of area about the centroidal axis of the project area.
In this set-up, the above equation can be reduced to
h = H d/3
In terms of yp, we get
yp = 2d/3

Second case: Fully Submerged Vertical Plane Surface

Figure 4 shows the diagrammatic representation of the apparatus when the
quadrant tank is fully submerged. This refers to the condition where the water
level is higher than the top level of the vertical face of the quadrant tank.

Figure 4. Fully Submerged Vertical Plane Surface

Using the hydrostatic thrust equation for the above diagram, we can find that:
F = gBD (d D/2)
The symbols used in Figure 4 are the same as those in Figure 3. Similarly, by
balancing the clockwise and counter-clockwise moments, we can obtain the
moment arm, h and the location of the centre of pressure, yp respectively, as
h = mL/ (gBD (d D/2))
and

yp = h ( H d) = mL/ (gBD (d D/2)) ( H d)

Using the equation for the centre of pressure, we can determine the equations
for the theoretical h and centre of pressure

h = {{{D} ^ {2}} over {12} + {( d- {D} over {2} )} ^ {2}} over {( d- {D} over {2} )} +H-d

D2
and

yp = d D/2 +

12( d

D
)
2

Equipment
Figure 1 shows a general layout of the hydrostatic force apparatus. Water is
contained in a rectangular tank into which a quadrant tank is immersed. The
size of the quadrant tank and the related dimensions of the set-up are shown in
Figure 2. In Figure 2, C is the centroid of the projected area of the vertical face of
the quadrant tank. The centre of pressure of the vertical force acting on the
same vertical face is represented by the point P. The horizontal distance
between the pivot point (marked as a filled triangle) and the balance pan or
weight hanger is referred to as L. the vertical distance between the bottom of
the quadrant face and the pivot arm is known as H. The height and width of the
quadrant face is D and B, respectively. The approximate dimensions of these
variables are shown in the following table.
Length of Balance

0.275m

Distance from weight hanger to pivot

Quadrant to Pivot

0.200m

Base of quadrant face to pivot

Height of
Quadrant

0.100m

Height of vertical quadrant face

Width of
Quadrant

0.075m

Width of vertical quadrant face

In the set-up, the line of contact of the knife-edge pivot coincides with the
vertical face of the quadrant tank. Thus, of the hydrostatic forces acting on the
immersed quadrant, only the horizontal thrust acting on the vertical face of the
tank will exert a counter-clockwise moment about the knife-edge axis. In
addition to the quadrant clamping screw the balance arm incorporates a balance
pan, an adjustable counterbalance and an indicator which shows when the arm
is horizontal. This is important as a horizontal arm coincides with the condition

when the clockwise moment just balances the counter-clockwise moment about
the pivot. The Perspex rectangular water tank may be leveled by adjusting the
screwed feet. Correct alignment is indicated by a circular spirit level mounted on
the base of the tank. Water is admitted to the tank via a flexible tube and may
be drained through a cock on the base. The water supply may be obtained from
the hydraulic bench, and the water level is indicated on a scale.
Experiment
1. Before beginning the experiment, make sure to adjust the counterbalance
screw so that the beam is in a horizontal position (balance position).
2. Add a weight to the balance pan. Record the mass of the weight (m).
3. Add water to the tank until the beam returns to its balance position.
Record the water depth (d).
4. Repeat the procedure 6 times for each of the following two conditions:
a. Partly submerged: weight mass ranging from 50 g to 200 g.
b. Fully submerged: weight mass is above 220 g.
Results and Data
(a) Experimental Data:
1.
2.
3.
4.
No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12

D = 0.100m
B = 0.075m
L = 0.275m
H = 0.200m
Mass
(kg)
0.050
0.070
0.100
0.120
0.150
0.200
0.250
0.270
0.300
0.320
0.350
0.400

d
(m)
0.045
0.053
0.064
0.071
0.080
0.094
0.106
0.111
0.118
0.123
0.131
0.143

W=
mg
(N)
0.491
0.687
0.981
1.177
1.472
1.962
2.453
2.649
2.943
3.139
3.434
3.924

Thru
st F
(N)
0.745
1.033
1.507
1.854
2.354
3.251
4.120
4.488
5.003
5.371
5.960
6.842

h"

h"

(expt)

(theory)

(m)

0.181
0.183
0.179
0.175
0.172
0.166
0.164
0.162
0.162
0.161
0.158
0.158

(m)

0.185
0.182
0.179
0.176
0.173
0.169
0.165
0.164
0.162
0.161
0.160
0.159

yp

yp

(expt)

(theory)

(m)
0.026
0.036
0.043
0.046
0.052
0.060
0.070
0.073
0.080
0.084
0.089
0.101

(m)
0.030
0.035
0.043
0.047
0.053
0.063
0.071
0.075
0.080
0.084
0.091
0.102

Note:
Results for No. 1 6 are for partly submerged conditions;
Results for No. 7 12 are for fully submerged conditions.

Graph of Experimental Centre of Pressure against Water Depth

yp (expt) (m)

0.1
0.09
0.08
0.07
0.06
0.05
0.04
0.03
0.02
0.01
0
0.02

0.03

0.04

0.05

0.06

0.07

0.08

0.09

0.1

d (m)

(b) The best fit line above shows a linear line. Hence, it can be concluded that
centre of pressure is linearly proportional to the water depth.

Graph of Experimental Centre of Pressure against Theoretical Centre of Pressure

0.12
0.1
0.08

yp (expt) (m)

0.06
0.04
0.02
0
0.02

0.03

0.04

0.05

0.06

0.07

0.08

0.09

0.1

0.11

yp (theory) (m)

(c) I definitely do not expect the values to be the same as the presence of errors
will influence my readings in the experiments and also my calculations.
(d) The errors that are present in this experiment would be:

1. Density of water Density used in the experiment is 1000kg/m 3, this is

the density of seawater at 4 degree Celsius where in actual we are using
tap water at room temperature around 23 degree Celsius. This might
cause the calculations to have errors.
2. Error in reading the height of water this is known as parallax error
3. Error in determining whether the arm is horizontal this error is hard to be
removed as our human eyes cannot judge how straight the arm is before
taking the readings.
Conclusion
1. The hypothesis to consider moments created by hydrostatic forces on the
curve faces is zero can be accepted as I have discussed about it.
2. The centre of pressure on an object will increase as the object is
submerged more into the water; i.e water depth increases.
3. The errors present in the experiment has caused a slight difference from
the theoretical values from the experiment values but the errors are not
significant.
References
1. Munson, B.R., Young, D.F. and Okiishi, T.H. Fundamentals of Fluid
Mechanics, 6 th Edition, John Wiley & Son, 2002.
2. Franzini, J. B. and Finnemoret E. J. Fluid Mechanics with Engineering
Application, 10th Edition, McGraw-Hill, 2002.
3. Streeter, V. L., Wylie, E. B. and Bedford, K. W. Fluid Mechanics, 9th Edition,
McGraw-Hill International Edition, 1998.

Table of Contents
Introduction
Objective

Theory

2-5

Equipment 6
Experiment

6
Results

7-8

Discussion 9-12
Conclusion 13
References 13