Higher Technological institute

Tenth of Ramadan City

Mechanical Department

Thermo-Fluid Lab. (A)

1- Hydrostatic Pressure
OBJECTIVES
- To understand the hydrostatic pressure distribution
- To determine experimentally the resultant hydrostatic force
(hydrostatic thrust) applied on a partially and fully submerged surface.
- To determine the experimental and the theoretical center of pressure.

THEORY
Fluid statics or hydrostatics is the branch of fluid mechanics that
studies fluids at rest (hydrostatic condition). When a body is submerged in
a liquid in hydrostatic equilibrium, the fluid exerts a force on all surfaces
and the pressure variation is due only to the weight of the fluid.
The determination of these forces is important in the design of storage
tanks, ships, dams, and other hydraulic structures. For uids at rest the
force must be perpendicular to the surface since there are no shearing
stresses present. The pressure varies linearly with depth if the uid is
incompressible. The magnitude of the resultant fluid force is equal to the
pressure acting at the centroid of the area multiplied by the total area.
P=gh

(1)

F = ( g h) A

(2)

, where; "P" is the hydrostatic pressure (N/m2), "" is the density (Kg/m3),
"g" is the gravity acceleration (m/s2), "h" is the depth of the centroid, "f" is
the hydrostatic Force (N) and "A" is the total area (m2). Since all the
differential forces that were summed to obtain "F" are perpendicular to the
surface, the resultant "F" must also be perpendicular to the surface. The
point through which the resultant force acts is called the center of pressure.

EXPERIMENTAL APPARATUS

Figure 1: Hydrostatic Pressure Apparatus.

Figure 2: Schematic of Hydrostatic Pressure Apparatus.

The apparatus consists of a quarter circle block mounted on a balance

arm. The pivot point on the arm corresponds to the center of radius of the
block. 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.
Water is admitted to the top of the tank by flexible tube and may be
drained through a cock in the base. The water supply may be obtained from
the hydraulic bench. The water level is indicated on a scale.

Figure 3: Dimensions of Hydrostatic Pressure

Note: The apparatus is designed in a way that the top and bottom faces of
the quadrant are concentric circular arcs centered on the pivot so, the
resultant hydrostatic force at every point passes through the pivot axis and
does not contribute to the moment, so that only the moment due to
hydrostatic pressure distribution on the vertical rectangular face of the
quadrant.
D: height of the quadrant face (=100mm), m
B: width of the of the quadrant face (=75mm), m
g: gravity acceleration (=9.81m/s2)
H: Vertical distance between the bottom of the quadrant face and the
pivot arm (200mm), m
L: Horizontal distance between the pivot point and the balance pan
(275mm), m
: specific weight of water (= g =9810 N/m3)

Theory- Partly submerged vertical plane surface

Below is a diagrammatic representation of the apparatus defining the
physical dimensions.

Figure 4: Partially submerged face diagram.

, where:
d: the depth of submersion, (m).
F: Hydrostatic thrust exerted on the quadrant, (N).
h: Depth of the centroid, (m).
h': depth of the center of pressure, (m).
h": Distance between the line of action of force below the pivot, (m).

Hydrostatic force (thrust) on surface

The hydrostatic force can be defined as:
F = ( g h) A, (N)

(3)

A = B d, (m2)

(4)

h = d/2, (m)

(5)

F=g

B d2
2

(6)

Experimental depth of center of pressure

The momentum "M" can be defined as:
M = F h", (Nm)
A balanced moment is produced by the weight "W" applied to the
hanger at the end of the balance arm. The momentum is proportional to
the length of the balance arm, "L".
For static equilibrium the two moments are equal
F h" = WL =m g L

(7)

By substitution of the derived hydrostatic force "F" from equation (6)

h" =

mgL
F

2mL

(8)

B d2

Theoretical depth of center of pressure

The theoretical result for depth of center of pressure below the freesurface is
h' =

Ix

(9)

Ah

, where "Ix" is the second momentum of area of immersed section about

an axis in the free-surface.
By use of the parallel axes theorem
Ix = Ic + A h2
Ix =

B d3
12

(10)
d 2

+Bd( ) =
2

B d3
3

, (m4)

(11)

The depth of the center of pressure below the pivot point is

h" =h' + H- d

(12)

Substitution of (10) into (12) yields the theoretical result of:

h" = H -

d
3

(13)

Theory- Fully submerged vertical plane surface

Below is a diagrammatic representation of the apparatus defining the
physical dimensions.

Figure 5: Fully submerged face diagram.

, where:
d: the depth of submersion, (m).
F: Hydrostatic thrust exerted on the quadrant, (N).
h: Depth of the centroid, (m).
h': depth of the center of pressure, (m).
h": Distance between the line of action of force below the pivot, (m).

Hydrostatic force (thrust) on surface

The hydrostatic force can be defined as:
F = ( g h) A, (N)

(14)

A = B d, (m2)

(15)

h = d - (D/2), (m)

(16)

F = g B D (d

D
2

(17)

Experimental depth of center of pressure

The momentum "M" can be defined as:
M = F h", (Nm)
A balanced moment is produced by the weight "W" applied to the
hanger at the end of the balance arm. The momentum is proportional to
the length of the balance arm, "L".
For static equilibrium the two moments are equal
F h" = WL =m g L

(18)

By substitution of the derived hydrostatic force "F" from equation (18)

h" =

mgL
F

mL
D

B D (d 2 )

(19)

Theoretical depth of center of pressure

The theoretical result for depth of center of pressure below the freesurface is
h' =

Ix

(20)

Ah

, where "Ix" is the second momentum of inertia of immersed section

about an axis in the free-surface.
By use of the parallel axes theorem
Ix = Ic + A h2
D2

Ix =B D[

12

(21)
D 2

+ (d ) ], (m4)
2

(22)

The depth of the center of pressure below the pivot point is

h" =h' + H- d

(23)

Substitution of (10) into (12) yields the theoretical result of:

D2
D 2
+ (d )
12
2
h" =
D
d
2

+Hd

(24)

PROCEDURES
1- Position the empty Perspex tank on the hydraulic bench.
2- Locate the weight hanger in the groove at the end of the balance arm.
3- Ensure that the drain valve is closed
4- Move the counter-balance weight until the balance arm is horizontal
5- Add a small mass (50 g) to the weight hanger.
6- Add water to the tank until the hydrostatic thrust on the end-face of
the quadrant causes balance to rise.
7- Continue to add water until the balance arm is horizontal.
8- Read the depth of immersion d from the scale on the face of the
quadrant; more accurate results can be obtained from reading with
the line of sight slightly below the surface, to avoid the effect of
surface tension.
9- Repeat the above procedure for each load increment produced by
adding a further weight to weight hanger.

Thermo-Fluid Lab. (A)

Student Name:

Student No.:

Gr.:

Experiment No. 1
Hydrostatic Pressure
Objectives

Introduction (Must contain the definition of hydrostatic pressure)

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Schematic of Hydrostatic Pressure Apparatus

Partially submerged face diagram

Partially submerged face diagram

10

Experimental Setup
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PROCEDURES
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Data Reduction
Partly submerged vertical plane surface
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Table 2. Readings for partially submerged vertical plane surface

No.

Mass "m"

Distance "d"

(g)

(mm)

1
2
3
4
Table 3. Processing results for partially submerged vertical plane surface

No.

(m2) (m)

h" (m)

Ix

(N) (Experimental) m4

h" (m)
(Theoretical)

1
2
3
4

CONCLUSIONS
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13

Data Reduction
Fully submerged vertical plane surface
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Table 4. Readings for fully submerged vertical plane surface

No.

Mass "m"

Distance "d"

(g)

(mm)

1
2
3
4
Table 3. Processing results for fully submerged vertical plane surface

No.

(m2) (m)

h" (m)

Ix

(N) (Experimental) m4

h" (m)
(Theoretical)

1
2
3
4

CONCLUSIONS
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