Hydrostatic pressure is a term in which the application widely used in various fields including ship hull,

car jack, submarines, marine, and offshore. The concept is crucial to operate a machine in the
environment involving hydrostatic application for the development and emergence of a more
sophisticated technology. Before commencing with the experiment, experimental set-up had to be
installed first with the correct sequential method accordingly. A study of theoretical background was
made so that the experiment could be conducted correctly as well as to increase understanding regarding
the origin of the experiment. It is essential to conduct a few researches about the experiment before
jumping into the experiment to avoid confusion and inability to provide accurate data. The data also ought
to be recorded respectively and tabulated to attain graphical view of the data consistency.

1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Hydraulics bench and accessories experiment (Part A)
Figure 1 shows the experimental set-up for the hydrostatic pressure experiment and the lists of the
apparatuses.

Figure 1: The set-up for the experiment

Before conducting the experiment, the above apparatuses were set up accordingly to the diagram
above. The quadrant was placed on the two dowel pins by using the clamping screw and fastening to the
balance arm so that the quadrant was not loosely held. The value of a, L, depth d and width b of the
quadrant end face was then measured. The consideration needs to be taken before taking the measurement
due to the possibilities of making errors during the experiment.

1.2 Theoretical background (Part A)

The figure 2 demonstrates horizontal distance from weight to pivot.
L
Pivot

Water surface

xc

F
c
W

weight

b width
Figure 2: Horizontal distances from weight to pivot

y = depth of water from surface to the bottom of plane surface

xc = vertical distance between water surface d the centroid of the partly submerged plane surface
a = vertical distance from the balance area to the top of plane surface
c = centroid of partly submerged plane surface
p = center of pressure of partly submerged plane surface
S = vertical distance from water surface to the top of plane surface
l = vertical distance from balance area to the center of pressure of the submerged plane surface

Figure 3 indicates the measurement for each of the apparatuses in the diagram.

Figure 3: The measurements of the apparatuses

To find the partial immersion, the following formula is used:

The derivation of the Partial Immersion is shown below:

1.3 Hydraulics bench and accessories experiment (Part B)

The balance arm was positioned on the knife edges (pivot) with the Perspex tank on the bench. The
balance pan was then hung from the end of the balance arm. In the midst of the experiment, the balance
pan and the balance arm had to stay dry in order to give accuracy and precision to the result. A length of
hose from the drain cock to the sump and a length from the bench feed to the triangular aperture were
connected on the top of the Perspex tank. This functions as water drainer to adjust the water level as well
as observing the water level during water draining.
Further, the drain cock and water were closed and admitted until the level reached the bottom edge of
the quadrant. A weight placed on the balance pan and water slowly added into the tank until the balance
arm was horizontal. The parallax error during the experiment did happen. In order to avoid such error, the
eye position had to be precisely levelled with the lining of the beam level indication. Slight error could
lead to major deviation of the result therefore errors and precautionary step had to be jotted down before
beginning the experiment. For each reading, the water level on the quadrant and the weight on the balance
pan were recorded.
To reach fine adjustment of the water level, the overfilling and draining using the stop cock had to be
dealt with the right method. For every increment of weight, the previous steps repeated until the water
level reached the top of the quadrant end face. Theoretically, the rate change of the water is systematically
constant for each constant rate change of weight assuming the errors during the experiment are negligible.
In the end, each increment of weight noting weights and water levels were removed until the weights have
been removed.

1.4 Theoretical background (Part B)

The pressure at the center of area multiplied by the area A of the submerged surface is the force F on any
flat submerged surface. Therefore, we can deduce that

Assuming the magnitude of the distributed force F, which could be considered as a series of small forces
distribute over the submerged surface. The moment about the same point of the resultant forces F acting
through its point of application (also recognized as CENTER OF PRESSURE) must be the equivalent to
the summation of the moments of all these small forces about any point.
Considering moment about o:

Knowing that:
[

Therefore:

Therefore:

For partially submerged plate

For the partially submerged plate the same equations apply except that the area of the plate varies.
(A = b.r)
Since

and substituting A = b.r and

in the equation for z:

It is obvious that the center of pressure is always two-third down the section of the plate that is
submerged.

1.5 Applications
There are in facts many of the innovative gears that are applicable when conferring about hydrostatic
pressure. It is a crucial study in order to fully apprehend the mechanism of the aquatic mechanic system
so that machines-like ship, submarine hull and offshore platform are operational in the water. Various
ways in the concept of the hydrostatic pressure are practiced worldwide. In a matter of fact, the ship hull
itself is mechanized in a way that the ship could sail the ocean with effectiveness considering its energy as
well as its speed and ability to carry massive scale of cargos.
For instance, there have been huge differences between the hydrostatic pressure in shallow and deep
water where the ships sail quicker with less energy consumption in deep water than that in shallow water.
This is related to the understanding of the hydrostatic pressure in which every inch of the structure of the
ship hull gives huge differences in the mechanics of the ship.
Another example that could be demonstrated in the concept is the hull and the body of the submarine.
For every part of the submarine hull, the integral and differential mathematical equations of the hull are
critical for the engineers to recognize each of it so that errors could be avoided in future circumstances.

2. OBJECTIVE
2.1 Part 1
1. To determine the center of pressure on a partially submerged plane surface. In many cases
involving the hydrostatic pressure, the center of pressure is subjected to be determined so that the
understanding in the hydrostatic pressure could be increased. This understanding helps engineers
to design a machine that drives smoothly across the ocean.
2. To provide and give meaningful derivation of the center of pressure for various shapes for the
ship hull.
2.2 Part 2
1. To deduce the position of the center of pressure of a plane surface immersed in water and to
differentiate the experimental position with the theoretical position. For this reason, the precision
and accuracy of the actual result and the theoretical result could be predicted from the equation
that is derived.

3. RESULT AND DISCUSSIONS

3.10 Result (Hydraulics and Accessories Part A)
Table 1 indicates the overall result of the experiment.

Table 1: Overall results

FILLING TANK
Weight
of load
(m)
[kg]

Height
of water
(y)
[m]

0.05
0.07
0.08
0.09
0.10
0.11

0.045
0.053
0.056
0.060
0.064
0.067

DRAINING
TANK
Weight
Height
of load of water
(m)
(y)
[kg]
[m]
0.05
0.07
0.08
0.09
0.10
0.11

0.045
0.053
0.057
0.060
0.064
0.067

AVERAGE
VALUE
Weight
Height
of load of water
(m )
(y)
[kg]
[m]
0.05
0.07
0.08
0.09
0.10
0.11

0.045
0.053
0.056
0.060
0.064
0.067

CALCULATIONS
Wetted
surface
area
(y2)
[m]
0.002
0.003
0.003
0.003
0.004
0.004

Hydrostatic
Pressure
(m/y)
[Pa]
24.69
24.92
25.51
25.00
24.41
24.50

The height of the pivot from the quadrant, a = 0.096 m

The length of the end of the lever arm to the pivot, L = 0.287 m
The height of the quadrant, d = 0.100 m
The width of the quadrant, b = 0.075 m
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3.11 Discussion (Hydraulics and Accessories Part A)

For gradient:

=
For intercept:

3.20 Result (Hydraulics and Accessories Part B)

Table 2 shows the result of part B.
Table 2: Part B
No.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Mass m (g)
50
70
80
90
100
110

r (mm)
45
53
56
60
64
67

XcA (mm)
22.5
26.5
28.0
30.0
32.0
33.5

XcT (mm)
30.0
35.3
37.3
40.0
42.7
44.7

3.21 Discussion (Hydraulics and Accessories Part B)

Theoretical:

Actual:

3.3 Discussions
1. The pressure center is always below the centroid because it is two-third difference for value y.
2. The reason for discrepancies between the actual and theoretical results which is 10% is due to the
position of the Perspex containing water. The Perspex was not placed in a flat surface in which
the balance reading tended slightly towards left. The impurities inside Perspex also affect the
responding variable in the experiment and led to miscalculation. Also, parallax error did affect the
reading of the experiment and eye position had to be parallel to the reading in the experiment.
3. During the experimental set-up, the lever arm needs to be placed in a flat surface so as to avoid
irregularities in the reading. To avoid miscalculation, any impurities had to be removed in order
to increase accuracy and precision in the reading.
4. The concept of hydrostatic pressure is practicable in various fields including aquatic, hydro, sea,
as well as medicine. The designation of the submarine hulls is one of the example of the
application in hydrostatic pressure. Diving underwater, the shape and type of the body of the
submarines had to withstand extreme pressure for sailing across the ocean stealthy. For this
purpose, the understanding of hydrostatic pressure is essential for an improved sophistication of
underwater technology.
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4. CONCLUSION
In the experiment, the theoretical assumption and the actual result are verified. For part A, the errors are
29.64 % and 11.52 % for the gradient and intercept respectively. Whilst for part B, the experimental error
gives merely 10 % in which the theorem is generally recognized.

5. REFERENCES
Reference books
1) Munson Okiishi (2013). Fundamentals of fluid mechanics Seventh edition.. John Wiley & Sons,
Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, New Jersey.
Internet sources
1) Raven (2011). How are submarines designed to withstand the pressure of deep sea submersion?
Retrieved 2 September 2011 from
http://www.answers.com/Q/How_are_submarines_designed_to_withstand_the_pressure_of_deep
_sea_submersion.
2) Aurelio Ramos (2010).What are things in everyday life that use hydrostatic pressure. .Retrieved
form 28 March 2010 from http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/2002-03/1015982024.Eg.r.html
3) Sarah Friedl (2011). Hydrostatic Pressure: Definition, Equation, and Calculations.Retrieved from
2 August 2011 http://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/hydrostatic-pressure-definitionequation-and-calculations.html#lesson
Others
1) Lab report sheet

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