Fluid Mechanics - Part 1

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This page contains links to support material

for modules on which I teach in the


School of Civil Engineering, University of
Dr Andrew Leeds.
Sleigh
P.A.Sleigh@leeds.ac.uk Remember: that this material DOES NOT
replace the lectures!

Level 1 Fluid Mechanics


CIVE 1400 - Fluid Mechanics

Engineering Mathematics 1.1


Linear Equations and Matrix Techniques
CIVE 1620 Engineering Mathematics

Engineering Mathematics 2.2


Level 2 An introduction to Vector Algebra
CIVE 2599- 2nd year Maths

Engineering Mathematics 2.3


Numerical Methods
CIVE 2601 - Numerical Methods

Fluid Mechanics
CIVE 2400 - 2nd year Fluid Mechanics
(Given by Dr Goodwill)

Open Channel Hydraulics


Level 3
CIVE 3400 - St Venant Equations and Unsteady Flow

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This page was last updated on 1st March 2006 by PAS.


Notes For the Level 1 Lecture Course in Fluid
Mechanics
Department of Civil Engineering, University of Leeds.
CIVE 1400 FLUID MECHANICS
Dr Andrew Sleigh
January, 2006

1. Contents of the module


2. Objectives:
o The course will introduce fluid mechanics and establish its
relevance in civil engineering.
o Develop the fundamental principles underlying the subject.
o Demonstrate how these are used for the design of simple
hydraulic components.
3. Consists of:
o Lectures:
20 Classes presenting the concepts, theory and application.
Worked examples will also be given to demonstrate how the
theory is applied. You will be asked to do some calculations -
so bring a calculator.
o Assessment:

 1 Exam of 2 hours (80 %)


This consists of 6 questions of which you choose 4.
 2 Multiple choice question papers. (2x5% = 10 %)
These will be set throughout the module during the
lectures
 1 Marked problem sheet. (10%).
o Laboratories: 2 x 3 hours
These two laboratory sessions examine how well the theoretical
analysis of fluid dynamics describes what we observe in
practice.
During the laboratory you will take measurements and draw
various graphs according to the details on the laboratory sheets.
These graphs can be compared with those obtained from
theoretical analysis.
You will be expected to draw conclusions as to the validity of
the theory based on the results you have obtained and the
experimental procedure.
After you have completed the two laboratories you should have
obtained a greater understanding as to how the theory relates to
practice, what parameters are important in analysis of fluid and
where theoretical predictions and experimental measurements
may differ.
The two laboratories sessions are:
 Impact of jets on various shaped surfaces - a jet
of water is fired at a target and is deflected in various
directions. This is an example of the application of the
momentum equation.
 The rectangular weir - the weir is used as a flow
measuring device. Its accuracy is investigated. This is
an example of how the Bernoulli (energy) equation is
applied to analyses fluid flow.

[As you know, these laboratory sessions are compulsory course-work.


You must attend them. Should you fail to attend either one you will be
asked to complete some extra work. This will involved a detailed
report and further questions. The simplest strategy is to do the lab.]

o Homework:
Example sheets: These will be given for each section of the
course. Doing these will greatly improve your exam mark.
They are course work but do not have credits toward the
module.
Lecture notes: Theses should be studied but explain only the
basic outline of the necessary concepts and ideas.
Books: It is very important do some extra reading in this
subject. To do the examples you will definitely need a text
book. Any one of those identified below is adequate and will
also be useful for the fluids courses in higher years.
 Example classes:
There will be example classes each week. You may
bring any problems/questions you have about the course
and example sheets to these classes.

1. Specific Elements:
o Introduction
o Fluid Properties
 Fluids vs. Solids
 Viscosity
 Newtonian Fluids
 Properties of Fluids
o Statics
 Hydrostatic pressure
 Manometry / pressure measurement
 Hydrostatic forces on submerged surfaces
o Dynamics
 The continuity equation.
 The Bernoulli Equation.
 Applications of the Bernoulli equation.
 The momentum equation.
 Application of the momentum equation.
o Real Fluids
 Boundary layer.
 Laminar flow in pipes.
o Introduction to dimensional analysis
 Dimensional analysis
 Similarity
2. Books:
Any of the book listed below are more than adequate for this module.

(You will probably not need any more fluid mechanics books on the rest of the
Civil Engineering course)

Mechanics of Fluids, Massey B S., Van Nostrand Reinhold.

Fluid Mechanics, Douglas J F, Gasiorek J M, and Swaffield J A, Longman.

Civil Engineering Hydraulics, Featherstone R E and Nalluri C, Blackwell


Science.

Hydraulics in Civil and Environmental Engineering, Chadwick A, and Morfett


J., E & FN Spon - Chapman & Hall.

3. Online Lecture Notes

The lecture notes you are reading can be found on the WWW at he following
address:

http://www.efm.leeds.ac.uk/CIVE

These notes give more information than is found in the lectures although they
must also be read along with other fluid mechanics books. They may be read
on line or printed off for personal use.

4. Civil Engineering Fluid Mechanics

Why are we studying fluid mechanics on a Civil Engineering course? The


provision of adequate water services such as the supply of potable water,
drainage, sewerage are essential for the development of industrial society. It is
these services which civil engineers provide.

Fluid mechanics is involved in nearly all areas of Civil Engineering either


directly or indirectly. Some examples of direct involvement are those where
we are concerned with manipulating the fluid:

o Sea and river (flood) defences;


o Water distribution / sewerage (sanitation) networks;
o Hydraulic design of water/sewage treatment works;
o Dams;
o Irrigation;
o Pumps and Turbines;
o Water retaining structures.

And some examples where the primary object is construction - yet analysis of
the fluid mechanics is essential:

o Flow of air in / around buildings;


o Bridge piers in rivers;
o Ground-water flow.

Notice how nearly all of these involve water. The following course, although
introducing general fluid flow ideas and principles, will demonstrate many of
these principles through examples where the fluid is water.

5. System of units

As any quantity can be expressed in whatever way you like it is sometimes


easy to become confused as to what exactly or how much is being referred to.
This is particularly true in the field of fluid mechanics. Over the years many
different ways have been used to express the various quantities involved. Even
today different countries use different terminology as well as different units
for the same thing - they even use the same name for different things e.g. an
American pint is 4/5 of a British pint!

To avoid any confusion on this course we will always used the SI (metric)
system - which you will already be familiar with. It is essential that all
quantities be expressed in the same system or the wrong solution will results.

Despite this warning you will still find that that this is the most common
mistake when you attempt example questions.

6. The SI System of units

The SI system consists of six primary units, from which all quantities may be
described. For convenience secondary units are used in general practise which
are made from combinations of these primary units.

Primary Units

The six primary units of the SI system are shown in the table below:

Quantity SI Unit Dimension


length metre, m L
mass kilogram, kg M
time second, s T
temperature Kelvin, K 
current ampere, A I
luminosity candela Cd

In fluid mechanics we are generally only interested in the top four units from
this table.
Notice how the term 'Dimension' of a unit has been introduced in this table.
This is not a property of the individual units, rather it tells what the unit
represents. For example a metre is a length which has a dimension L but also,
an inch, a mile or a kilometre are all lengths so have dimension of L.

(The above notation uses the MLT system of dimensions, there are other ways
of writing dimensions - we will see more about this in the section of the course
on dimensional analysis.)

Derived Units

There are many derived units all obtained from combination of the above
primary units. Those most used are shown in the table below:

Quantity SI Unit Dimension


-1
velocity m/s ms LT-1
acceleration m/s2 ms-2 LT-2
N
force
kg m/s2 kg ms-2 M LT-2
Joule J
energy (or work) N m,
kg m2/s2 kg m2s-2 ML2T-2
Watt W
power N m/s Nms-1
kg m2/s3 kg m2s-3 ML2T-3
Pascal P,
pressure ( or stress) N/m2, Nm-2
kg/m/s2 kg m-1s-2 ML-1T-2
density kg/m3 kg m-3 ML-3
N/m3
specific weight
kg/m2/s2 kg m-2s-2 ML-2T-2
a ratio 1
relative density
no units no dimension
N s/m2 N sm-2
viscosity
kg/m s kg m-1s-1 M L-1T-1
N/m Nm-1
surface tension
kg /s2 kg s-2 MT-2

The above units should be used at all times. Values in other units should NOT
be used without first converting them into the appropriate SI unit. If you do
not know what a particular unit means find out, else your guess will probably
be wrong.
One very useful tip is to write down the units of any equation you are using. If
at the end the units do not match you know you have made a mistake. For
example is you have at the end of a calculation,
30 kg/m s = 30 m

you have certainly made a mistake - checking the units can often help find the
mistake.

More on this subject will be seen later in the section on dimensional analysis
and similarity.

Section 0. Examples: Units


1.

A water company wants to check that it will have sufficient water if there is a
prolonged drought in the area. The region it covers is 500 square miles and the
following consumption figures have been sent in by various different offices. There is
sufficient information to calculate the amount of water available, but unfortunately it
is in several different units.

Of the total area 100 000 acres is rural land and the rest urban. The density of the
urban population is50 per square kilometre. The average toilet cistern is sized 200mm
by 15in by 0.3m and on average each person uses this 3 time per day. The density of
the rural population is 5 per square mile. Baths are taken twice a week by each person
with the average volume of water in the bath being 6 gallons. Local industry uses
1000 m3 per week. Other uses are estimated as 5 gallons per person per day. A US air
base in the region has given water use figures of 50 US gallons per person per day.

The average rain fall in 1in per month (28 days). In the urban area all of this goes to
the river while in the rural area 10% goes to the river, 85% is lost (to the aquifer) and
the rest goes to the one reservoir which supplies the region. This reservoir has an
average surface area of 500 acres and is at a depth of 10 fathoms. 10% of this volume
can be used in a month.

1. What is the total consumption of water per day in cubic meters?


2. If the reservoir was empty and no water could be taken from the river,
would there be enough water if available if rain fall was only 10% of
average?

Section 1: Fluids Mechanics and Fluid


Properties
What is fluid mechanics? As its name suggests it is the branch of applied mechanics
concerned with the statics and dynamics of fluids - both liquids and gases. The
analysis of the behaviour of fluids is based on the fundamental laws of mechanics
which relate continuity of mass and energy with force and momentum together with
the familiar solid mechanics properties.

1. Objectives of this section


o Define the nature of a fluid.
o Show where fluid mechanics concepts are common with those
of solid mechanics and indicate some fundamental areas of
difference.
o Introduce viscosity and show what are Newtonian and non-
Newtonian fluids
o Define the appropriate physical properties and show how these
allow differentiation between solids and fluids as well as
between liquids and gases.
2. Fluids

There are two aspects of fluid mechanics which make it different to solid
mechanics:

1. The nature of a fluid is much different to that of a solid


2. In fluids we usually deal with continuous streams of fluid
without a beginning or end. In solids we only consider
individual elements.

We normally recognise three states of matter: solid; liquid and gas. However,
liquid and gas are both fluids: in contrast to solids they lack the ability to resist
deformation. Because a fluid cannot resist the deformation force, it moves, it
flows under the action of the force. Its shape will change continuously as long
as the force is applied. A solid can resist a deformation force while at rest, this
force may cause some displacement but the solid does not continue to move
indefinitely.

The deformation is caused by shearing forces which act tangentially to a


surface. Referring to the figure below, we see the force F acting tangentially
on a rectangular (solid lined) element ABDC. This is a shearing force and
produces the (dashed lined) rhombus element A'B'DC.

Shearing force, F, acting on a fluid element.

We can then say:


A Fluid is a substance which deforms continuously,
or flows, when subjected to shearing forces.

and conversely this definition implies the very important point that:

If a fluid is at rest there are no shearing forces acting.


All forces must be perpendicular to the planes which the are acting.

When a fluid is in motion shear stresses are developed if the particles of the
fluid move relative to one another. When this happens adjacent particles have
different velocities. If fluid velocity is the same at every point then there is no
shear stress produced: the particles have zero relative velocity.

Consider the flow in a pipe in which water is flowing. At the pipe wall the
velocity of the water will be zero. The velocity will increase as we move
toward the centre of the pipe. This change in velocity across the direction of
flow is known as velocity profile and shown graphically in the figure below:

Velocity profile in a pipe.

Because particles of fluid next to each other are moving with different
velocities there are shear forces in the moving fluid i.e. shear forces are
normally present in a moving fluid. On the other hand, if a fluid is a long way
from the boundary and all the particles are travelling with the same velocity,
the velocity profile would look something like this:
Velocity profile in uniform flow

and there will be no shear forces present as all particles have zero relative
velocity. In practice we are concerned with flow past solid boundaries;
aeroplanes, cars, pipe walls, river channels etc. and shear forces will be
present.

1. Newton's Law of Viscosity

How can we make use of these observations? We can start by considering a 3d


rectangular element of fluid, like that in the figure below.

Fluid element under a shear force

The shearing force F acts on the area on the top of the element. This area is
given by . We can thus calculate the shear stress which is equal to
force per unit area i.e.

The deformation which this shear stress causes is measured by the size of the
angle  and is know as shear strain.
In a solid shear strain, , is constant for a fixed shear stress .
In a fluid  increases for as long as  is applied - the fluid flows.

It has been found experimentally that the rate of shear stress (shear stress per
unit time, /time) is directly proportional to the shear stress.

If the particle at point E (in the above figure) moves under the shear stress to
point E' and it takes time t to get there, it has moved the distance x. For small
deformations we can write

shear strain

where is the velocity of the particle at E.

Using the experimental result that shear stress is proportional to rate of shear
strain then

The term is the change in velocity with y, or the velocity gradient, and may

be written in the differential form . The constant of proportionality is


known as the dynamic viscosity, , of the fluid, giving
This is known as Newton's law of viscosity.

2. Fluids vs. Solids

In the above we have discussed the differences between the behaviour of


solids and fluids under an applied force. Summarising, we have;

1. For a solid the strain is a function of the applied stress


(providing that the elastic limit has not been reached). For a
fluid, the rate of strain is proportional to the applied stress.

2. The strain in a solid is independent of the time over which the


force is applied and (if the elastic limit is not reached) the
deformation disappears when the force is removed. A fluid
continues to flow for as long as the force is applied and will not
recover its original form when the force is removed.

It is usually quite simple to classify substances as either solid or liquid. Some


substances, however, (e.g. pitch or glass) appear solid under their own weight.
Pitch will, although appearing solid at room temperature, deform and spread
out over days - rather than the fraction of a second it would take water.

As you will have seen when looking at properties of solids, when the elastic
limit is reached they seem to flow. They become plastic. They still do not
meet the definition of true fluids as they will only flow after a certain
minimum shear stress is attained.

3. Newtonian / Non-Newtonian Fluids

Even among fluids which are accepted as fluids there can be wide differences
in behaviour under stress. Fluids obeying Newton's law where the value of  is
constant are known as Newtonian fluids. If  is constant the shear stress is
linearly dependent on velocity gradient. This is true for most common fluids.

Fluids in which the value of  is not constant are known as non-Newtonian


fluids. There are several categories of these, and they are outlined briefly
below.
These categories are based on the relationship between shear stress and the
velocity gradient (rate of shear strain) in the fluid. These relationships can be
seen in the graph below for several categories

Shear stress vs. Rate of shear strain u/y

Each of these lines can be represented by the equation

where A, B and n are constants. For Newtonian fluids A = 0, B =  and n = 1.

Below are brief description of the physical properties of the several categories:

o Plastic: Shear stress must reach a certain minimum before flow


commences.
o Bingham plastic: As with the plastic above a minimum shear
stress must be achieved. With this classification n = 1. An
example is sewage sludge.
o Pseudo-plastic: No minimum shear stress necessary and the
viscosity decreases with rate of shear, e.g. colloidial substances
like clay, milk and cement.
o Dilatant substances; Viscosity increases with rate of shear e.g.
quicksand.
o Thixotropic substances: Viscosity decreases with length of time
shear force is applied e.g. thixotropic jelly paints.
o Rheopectic substances: Viscosity increases with length of time
shear force is applied
o Viscoelastic materials: Similar to Newtonian but if there is a
sudden large change in shear they behave like plastic.
There is also one more - which is not real, it does not exist - known as the
ideal fluid. This is a fluid which is assumed to have no viscosity. This is a
useful concept when theoretical solutions are being considered - it does help
achieve some practically useful solutions.

1. Liquids vs. Gasses

Although liquids and gasses behave in much the same way and share many
similar characteristics, they also possess distinct characteristics of their own.
Specifically

o A liquid is difficult to compress and often regarded as being


incompressible.
A gas is easily to compress and usually treated as such - it
changes volume with pressure.
o A given mass of liquid occupies a given volume and will
occupy the container it is in and form a free surface (if the
container is of a larger volume).
A gas has no fixed volume, it changes volume to expand to fill
the containing vessel. It will completely fill the vessel so no
free surface is formed.
2. Causes of Viscosity in Fluids
1. Viscosity in Gasses

The molecules of gasses are only weakly kept in position by molecular


cohesion (as they are so far apart). As adjacent layers move by each
other there is a continuous exchange of molecules. Molecules of a
slower layer move to faster layers causing a drag, while molecules
moving the other way exert an acceleration force. Mathematical
considerations of this momentum exchange can lead to Newton law of
viscosity.

If temperature of a gas increases the momentum exchange between


layers will increase thus increasing viscosity.

Viscosity will also change with pressure - but under normal conditions
this change is negligible in gasses.

2. Viscosity in Liquids

There is some molecular interchange between adjacent layers in liquids


- but as the molecules are so much closer than in gasses the cohesive
forces hold the molecules in place much more rigidly. This cohesion
plays an important roll in the viscosity of liquids.

Increasing the temperature of a fluid reduces the cohesive forces and


increases the molecular interchange. Reducing cohesive forces reduces
shear stress, while increasing molecular interchange increases shear
stress. Because of this complex interrelation the effect of temperature
on viscosity has something of the form:
where is the viscosity at temperature TC, and is the viscosity at
temperature 0C. A and B are constants for a particular fluid.

High pressure can also change the viscosity of a liquid. As pressure


increases the relative movement of molecules requires more energy
hence viscosity increases.

Properties of Fluids
The properties outlines below are general properties of fluids which are of interest in
engineering. The symbol usually used to represent the property is specified together
with some typical values in SI units for common fluids. Values under specific
conditions (temperature, pressure etc.) can be readily found in many reference books.
The dimensions of each unit is also give in the MLT system (see later in the section
on dimensional analysis for more details about dimensions.)

1. Density

The density of a substance is the quantity of matter contained in a unit volume


of the substance. It can be expressed in three different ways.

1. Mass Density

Mass Density, , is defined as the mass of substance per unit volume.

Units: Kilograms per cubic metre, (or )

Dimensions:

Typical values:

Water = 1000 , Mercury = 13546 Air = 1.23 ,


Paraffin Oil = 800 .

(at pressure =1.013 and Temperature = 288.15 K.)

2. Specific Weight

Specific Weight , (sometimes , and sometimes known as specific


gravity) is defined as the weight per unit volume.
or

The force exerted by gravity, g, upon a unit volume of the substance.

The Relationship between g and can be determined by Newton's 2nd


Law, since

weight per unit volume = mass per unit volume g

Units: Newton's per cubic metre, (or )

Dimensions: .

Typical values:

Water =9814 , Mercury = 132943 , Air =12.07 ,


Paraffin Oil =7851

3. Relative Density

Relative Density, , is defined as the ratio of mass density of a


substance to some standard mass density.

For solids and liquids this standard mass density is the maximum mass
density for water (which occurs at c) at atmospheric pressure.

Units: None, since a ratio is a pure number.

Dimensions: 1.

Typical values: Water = 1, Mercury = 13.5, Paraffin Oil =0.8.

2. Viscosity

Viscosity, , is the property of a fluid, due to cohesion and interaction


between molecules, which offers resistance to sheer deformation. Different
fluids deform at different rates under the same shear stress. Fluid with a high
viscosity such as syrup, deforms more slowly than fluid with a low viscosity
such as water.

All fluids are viscous, "Newtonian Fluids" obey the linear relationship
given by Newton's law of viscosity. , which we saw earlier.

where is the shear stress,

Units ;

Dimensions .

is the velocity gradient or rate of shear strain, and has

Units: ,

Dimensions

is the "coefficient of dynamic viscosity" - see below.

1. Coefficient of Dynamic Viscosity

The Coefficient of Dynamic Viscosity, , is defined as the shear


force, per unit area, (or shear stress ), required to drag one layer of
fluid with unit velocity past another layer a unit distance away.

Units: Newton seconds per square metre, or Kilograms per


meter per second, .

(Although note that is often expressed in Poise, P, where 10 P = 1


.)

Typical values:

Water =1.14 , Air =1.78 , Mercury


=1.552 ,
Paraffin Oil =1.9 .

2. Kinematic Viscosity
Kinematic Viscosity, , is defined as the ratio of dynamic viscosity to
mass density.

Units: square metres per second,

(Although note that  is often expressed in Stokes, St, where St = 1


.)

Dimensions: .

Typical values:

Water =1.14 , Air =1.46 , Mercury =1.145


,
Paraffin Oil =2.375 .

Fluid Properties Examples


1. Explain why the viscosity of a liquid decreases while that of a gas
increases with a temperature rise.
The following is a table of measurement for a fluid at constant
temperature.
Determine the dynamic viscosity of the fluid.
[4.98 N/m2]

du/dy (rad s-1) 0.00 0.20 0.40 0.60 0.80


 (N m-2) 0.00 0.01 1.90 3.10 4.00

2. The density of an oil is 850 kg/m3. Find its relative density and
Kinematic viscosity if the dynamic viscosity is 5 x 10-3 kg/ms.
[0.85, 1.47 x10-6 m2/s]
3. The velocity distribution of a viscous liquid (dynamic viscosity  = 0.9
Ns/m2) flowing over a fixed plate is given by u = 0.68y - y2 (u is
velocity in m/s and y is the distance from the plate in m).
What are the shear stresses at the plate surface and at y=0.34m?
[0.612 N/m2, 0]
4. 5.6m3 of oil weighs 46 800 N. Find its mass density,  and relative
density, .
[852 kg/m3, 0.852]
5. From table of fluid properties the viscosity of water is given as
0.01008 poises.
What is this value in Ns/m2 and Pa s units?
[0.001008 Ns/m2]
6. In a fluid the velocity measured at a distance of 75mm from the
boundary is 1.125m/s. The fluid has absolute viscosity 0.048 Pa s and
relative density 0.913. What is the velocity gradient and shear stress at
the boundary assuming a linear velocity distribution.
[15 s-1, 0.720 Pa]

Fluid Properties Examples


Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 Q6

1. Explain why the viscosity of a liquid decreases while that of a gas


increases with a temperature rise.
The following is a table of measurement for a fluid at constant
temperature.
Determine the dynamic viscosity of the fluid.

du/dy (s-1) 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8

 (N m-2) 0.0 1.0 1.9 3.1 4.0


Using Newton's law of viscocity

where  is the viscosity. So viscosity is the gradient of a graph of shear stress against
vellocity gradient of the above data, or

Plot the data as a graph:


Calculate the gradient for each section of the line
du/dy (s-1) 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8

 (N m-2) 0.0 1.0 1.9 3.1 4.0

Gradient - 5.0 4.75 5.17 5.0


Thus the mean gradient = viscosity = 4.98 N s / m2

2. The density of an oil is 850 kg/m3. Find its relative density and
Kinematic viscosity if the dynamic viscosity is 5  10-3 kg/ms.

 oil = 850 kg/m3  water = 1000 kg/m3

 oil = 850 / 1000 = 0.85

Dynamic viscosity =  = 5 10-3 kg/ms

Kinematic viscosity =  =  / 
3. The velocity distribution of a viscous liquid (dynamic viscosity  = 0.9
Ns/m2) flowing over a fixed plate is given by u = 0.68y - y2 (u is
velocity in m/s and y is the distance from the plate in m).
What are the shear stresses at the plate surface and at y=0.34m?

At the plate face y = 0m,

Calculate the shear stress at the plate face

At y = 0.34m,

As the velocity gradient is zero at y=0.34 then the shear stress must also be
zero.

4. 5.6m3 of oil weighs 46 800 N. Find its mass density,  and relative
density, .

Weight 46 800 = mg

Mass m = 46 800 / 9.81 = 4770.6 kg

Mass density  = Mass / volume = 4770.6 / 5.6 = 852 kg/m3

Relative density
5. From table of fluid properties the viscosity of water is given as
0.01008 poises.
What is this value in Ns/m2 and Pa s units?

 = 0.01008 poise

1 poise = 0.1 Pa s = 0.1 Ns/m2

 = 0.001008 Pa s = 0.001008 Ns/m2

6. In a fluid the velocity measured at a distance of 75mm from the


boundary is 1.125m/s. The fluid has absolute viscosity 0.048 Pa s and
relative density 0.913. What is the velocity gradient and shear stress at
the boundary assuming a linear velocity distribution.

 = 0.048 Pa s

 = 0.913

SECTION 2: Forces in Static Fluids


This section will study the forces acting on or generated by fluids at rest.

Objectives

 Introduce the concept of pressure;


 Prove it has a unique value at any particular elevation;
 Show how it varies with depth according to the hydrostatic equation and
 Show how pressure can be expressed in terms of head of fluid.

This understanding of pressure will then be used to demonstrate methods of pressure measurement that
will be useful later with fluid in motion and also to analyse the forces on submerges surface/structures.

1. Fluids statics
The general rules of statics (as applied in solid mechanics) apply to fluids at rest. From earlier we know
that:

 a static fluid can have no shearing force acting on it, and that
 any force between the fluid and the boundary must be acting at right angles to the
boundary.

Pressure force normal to the boundary

Note that this statement is also true for curved surfaces, in this case the force acting at any point is
normal to the surface at that point. The statement is also true for any imaginary plane in a static fluid.
We use this fact in our analysis by considering elements of fluid bounded by imaginary planes.

We also know that:

 For an element of fluid at rest, the element will be in equilibrium - the sum of the
components of forces in any direction will be zero.
 The sum of the moments of forces on the element about any point must also be zero.

It is common to test equilibrium by resolving forces along three mutually perpendicular axes and also
by taking moments in three mutually perpendicular planes an to equate these to zero.

2. Pressure
As mentioned above a fluid will exert a normal force on any boundary it is in contact with. Since these
boundaries may be large and the force may differ from place to place it is convenient to work in terms
of pressure, p, which is the force per unit area.

If the force exerted on each unit area of a boundary is the same, the pressure is said to be uniform.

Units: Newton's per square metre, , .

(The same unit is also known as a Pascal, Pa, i.e. 1Pa = 1 )

(Also frequently used is the alternative SI unit the bar, where )

Dimensions: .

3. Pascal's Law for Pressure At A Point


(Proof that pressure acts equally in all directions.)

By considering a small element of fluid in the form of a triangular prism which contains a point P, we
can establish a relationship between the three pressures p x in the x direction, py in the y direction and ps
in the direction normal to the sloping face.

Triangular prismatic element of fluid

The fluid is a rest, so we know there are no shearing forces, and we know that all force are acting at
right angles to the surfaces .i.e.

acts perpendicular to surface ABCD,


acts perpendicular to surface ABFE and

acts perpendicular to surface FECD.

And, as the fluid is at rest, in equilibrium, the sum of the forces in any direction is zero.

Summing forces in the x-direction:

Force due to ,

Component of force in the x-direction due to ,

( )

Component of force in x-direction due to ,

To be at rest (in equilibrium)

Similarly, summing forces in the y-direction. Force due to ,

Component of force due to ,


( )

Component of force due to ,

Force due to gravity,

To be at rest (in equilibrium)

The element is small i.e. , and are small, and so is very small and considered
negligible, hence

thus

Considering the prismatic element again, is the pressure on a plane at any angle , the x, y and z
directions could be any orientation. The element is so small that it can be considered a point so the

derived expression . indicates that pressure at any point is the same in all directions.
(The proof may be extended to include the z axis).

Pressure at any point is the same in all directions.


This is known as Pascal's Law and applies to fluids at rest.

4. Variation Of Pressure Vertically In A Fluid Under


Gravity
Vertical elemental cylinder of fluid

In the above figure we can see an element of fluid which is a vertical column of constant cross
sectional area, A, surrounded by the same fluid of mass density . The pressure at the bottom of the
cylinder is at level , and at the top is at level . The fluid is at rest and in equilibrium so all
the forces in the vertical direction sum to zero. i.e. we have

Taking upward as positive, in equilibrium we have

Thus in a fluid under gravity, pressure decreases with increase in height .

5. Equality Of Pressure At The Same Level In A


Static Fluid
Consider the horizontal cylindrical element of fluid in the figure below, with cross-sectional area A, in
a fluid of density , pressure at the left hand end and pressure at the right hand end.
Horizontal elemental cylinder of fluid

The fluid is at equilibrium so the sum of the forces acting in the x direction is zero.

Pressure in the horizontal direction is constant.

This result is the same for any continuous fluid. It is still true for two connected tanks which appear not
to have any direct connection, for example consider the tank in the figure below.

Two tanks of different cross-section connected by a pipe

We have shown above that and from the equation for a vertical pressure change we have

and

so
This shows that the pressures at the two equal levels, P and Q are the same.

6. General Equation For Variation Of Pressure In A


Static Fluid
Here we show how the above observations for vertical and horizontal elements of fluids can be
generalised for an element of any orientation.

A cylindrical element of fluid at an arbitrary orientation.

Consider the cylindrical element of fluid in the figure above, inclined at an angle to the vertical,
length , cross-sectional area A in a static fluid of mass density . The pressure at the end with
height is and at the end of height is .

The forces acting on the element are

There are also forces from the surrounding fluid acting normal to these sides of the element.

For equilibrium of the element the resultant of forces in any direction is zero.
Resolving the forces in the direction along the central axis gives

Or in the differential form

If then s is in the x or y directions, (i.e. horizontal),so

Confirming that pressure on any horizontal plane is zero.

If then s is in the z direction (vertical) so

Confirming the result

7. Pressure And Head

In a static fluid of constant density we have the relationship , as shown above. This can be
integrated to give

In a liquid with a free surface the pressure at any depth z measured from the free surface so that z = -h
(see the figure below)
Fluid head measurement in a tank.

This gives the pressure

At the surface of fluids we are normally concerned with, the pressure is the atmospheric pressure,

. So

As we live constantly under the pressure of the atmosphere, and everything else exists under this
pressure, it is convenient (and often done) to take atmospheric pressure as the datum. So we quote
pressure as above or below atmospheric.

Pressure quoted in this way is known as gauge pressure i.e.

Gauge pressure is

The lower limit of any pressure is zero - that is the pressure in a perfect vacuum. Pressure measured
above this datum is known as absolute pressure i.e.

Absolute pressure is

As g is (approximately) constant, the gauge pressure can be given by stating the vertical height of any
fluid of density which is equal to this pressure.

This vertical height is known as head of fluid.


Note: If pressure is quoted in head, the density of the fluid must also be given.

Example:

We can quote a pressure of in terms of the height of a column of water of density,

. Using ,

And in terms of Mercury with density, .

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Pressure Measurement By Manometer


The relationship between pressure and head is used to measure pressure with a manometer (also know
as a liquid gauge).

Objective:

 To demonstrate the analysis and use of various types of manometers for pressure
measurement.

1. The Piezometer Tube Manometer


The simplest manometer is a tube, open at the top, which is attached to the top of a vessel containing
liquid at a pressure (higher than atmospheric) to be measured. An example can be seen in the figure
below. This simple device is known as a Piezometer tube. As the tube is open to the atmosphere the
pressure measured is relative to atmospheric so is gauge pressure.
A simple piezometer tube manometer

This method can only be used for liquids (i.e. not for gases) and only when the liquid height is
convenient to measure. It must not be too small or too large and pressure changes must be detectable.

2. The "U"-Tube Manometer


Using a "U"-Tube enables the pressure of both liquids and gases to be measured with the same
instrument. The "U" is connected as in the figure below and filled with a fluid called the manometric
fluid. The fluid whose pressure is being measured should have a mass density less than that of the
manometric fluid and the two fluids should not be able to mix readily - that is, they must be
immiscible.

A "U"-Tube manometer
Pressure in a continuous static fluid is the same at any horizontal level so,

For the left hand arm

For the right hand arm

As we are measuring gauge pressure we can subtract giving

If the fluid being measured is a gas, the density will probably be very low in comparison to the density
of the manometric fluid i.e. man >> . In this case the term can be neglected, and the gauge
pressure give by

3. Measurement Of Pressure Difference Using a "U"-


Tube Manometer.
If the "U"-tube manometer is connected to a pressurised vessel at two points the pressure difference
between these two points can be measured.
Pressure difference measurement by the "U"-Tube manometer

If the manometer is arranged as in the figure above, then

Giving the pressure difference

Again, if the fluid whose pressure difference is being measured is a gas and , then the
terms involving can be neglected, so
4. Advances to the "U" tube manometer.
The "U"-tube manometer has the disadvantage that the change in height of the liquid in both sides must
be read. This can be avoided by making the diameter of one side very large compared to the other. In
this case the side with the large area moves very little when the small area side move considerably
more.

Assume the manometer is arranged as above to measure the pressure difference of a gas of (negligible
density) and that pressure difference is . If the datum line indicates the level of the
manometric fluid when the pressure difference is zero and the height differences when pressure is

applied is as shown, the volume of liquid transferred from the left side to the right

And the fall in level of the left side is

We know from the theory of the "U" tube manometer that the height different in the two columns gives
the pressure difference so

Clearly if D is very much larger than d then (d/D)2 is very small so


So only one reading need be taken to measure the pressure difference.

If the pressure to be measured is very small then tilting the arm provides a convenient way of obtaining
a larger (more easily read) movement of the manometer. The above arrangement with a tilted arm is
shown in the figure below.

Tilted manometer.

The pressure difference is still given by the height change of the manometric fluid but by placing the
scale along the line of the tilted arm and taking this reading large movements will be observed. The
pressure difference is then given by

The sensitivity to pressure change can be increased further by a greater inclination of the manometer
arm, alternatively the density of the manometric fluid may be changed.

5. Choice Of Manometer
Care must be taken when attaching the manometer to vessel, no burrs must be present around this joint.
Burrs would alter the flow causing local pressure variations to affect the measurement.

Some disadvantages of manometers:

 Slow response - only really useful for very slowly varying pressures - no use at all for
fluctuating pressures;
 For the "U" tube manometer two measurements must be taken simultaneously to get
the h value. This may be avoided by using a tube with a much larger cross-sectional
area on one side of the manometer than the other;
 It is often difficult to measure small variations in pressure - a different manometric
fluid may be required - alternatively a sloping manometer may be employed; It
cannot be used for very large pressures unless several manometers are connected in
series;
 For very accurate work the temperature and relationship between temperature and 
must be known;

Some advantages of manometers:

 They are very simple.


 No calibration is required - the pressure can be calculated from first principles.

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Forces on Submerged Surfaces in Static


Fluids
We have seen the following features of statics fluids

 Hydrostatic vertical pressure distribution


 Pressures at any equal depths in a continuous fluid are equal
 Pressure at a point acts equally in all directions (Pascal's law).
 Forces from a fluid on a boundary acts at right angles to that boundary.

Objectives:

We will use these to analyse and obtain expressions for the forces on submerged surfaces. In doing this
it should also be clear the difference between:

 Pressure which is a scalar quantity whose value is equal in all directions and,
 Force, which is a vector quantity having both magnitude and direction.

1. Fluid pressure on a surface


Pressure is defined as force per unit area. If a pressure p acts on a small area then the force exerted
on that area will be

Since the fluid is at rest the force will act at right-angles to the surface.

General submerged plane

Consider the plane surface shown in the figure below. The total area is made up of many elemental
areas. The force on each elemental area is always normal to the surface but, in general, each force is of
different magnitude as the pressure usually varies.
We can find the total or resultant force, R, on the plane by summing up all of the forces on the small
elements i.e.

This resultant force will act through the centre of pressure, hence we can say

If the surface is a plane the force can be represented by one single resultant force,
acting at right-angles to the plane through the centre of pressure.

Horizontal submerged plane

For a horizontal plane submerged in a liquid (or a plane experiencing uniform pressure over its
surface), the pressure, p, will be equal at all points of the surface. Thus the resultant force will be given
by

Curved submerged surface

If the surface is curved, each elemental force will be a different magnitude and in different direction
but still normal to the surface of that element. The resultant force can be found by resolving all forces
into orthogonal co-ordinate directions to obtain its magnitude and direction. This will always be less

than the sum of the individual forces, .

2. Resultant Force and Centre of Pressure on a


submerged plane surface in a liquid.
This plane surface is totally submerged in a liquid of density and inclined at an angle of to the
horizontal. Taking pressure as zero at the surface and measuring down from the surface, the pressure
on an element , submerged a distance z, is given by

and therefore the force on the element is

The resultant force can be found by summing all of these forces i.e.

(assuming and g as constant).

The term is known as the 1st Moment of Area of the plane PQ about the free surface. It is
equal to i.e.

where A is the area of the plane and is the depth (distance from the free surface) to the centroid, G.
This can also be written in terms of distance from point O ( as )

Thus:

The resultant force on a plane


This resultant force acts at right angles to the plane through the centre of pressure, C, at a depth D. The
moment of R about any point will be equal to the sum of the moments of the forces on all the elements
of the plane about the same point. We use this to find the position of the centre of pressure.

It is convenient to take moments about the point where a projection of the plane passes through the
surface, point O in the figure.

We can calculate the force on each elemental area:

And the moment of this force is:

are the same for each element, so the total moment is

We know the resultant force from above , which acts through the centre of pressure
at C, so

Equating gives,

Thus the position of the centre of pressure along the plane measure from the point O is:
It look a rather difficult formula to calculate - particularly the summation term. Fortunately this term is
known as the 2nd Moment of Area , , of the plane about the axis through O and it can be easily
calculated for many common shapes. So, we know:

And as we have also seen that 1st Moment of area about a line through O,

Thus the position of the centre of pressure along the plane measure from the point O is:

and depth to the centre of pressure is

How do you calculate the 2nd moment of area?

To calculate the 2nd moment of area of a plane about an axis through O, we use the parallel axis
theorem together with values of the 2nd moment of area about an axis though the centroid of the shape
obtained from tables of geometric properties.

The parallel axis theorem can be written

where is the 2nd moment of area about an axis though the centroid G of the plane.

Using this we get the following expressions for the position of the centre of pressure
(In the examination the parallel axis theorem and the will be given)

The second moment of area of some common shapes.

The table blow given some examples of the 2nd moment of area about a line through the centroid of
some common shapes.

Shape Area A 2nd moment of area, , about


an axis through the centroid
Rectangle

Triangle

Circle

Semicircle

Lateral position of Centre of Pressure

If the shape is symmetrical the centre of pressure lies on the line of symmetry. But if
it is not symmetrical its position must be found by taking moments about the line OG
in the same way as we took moments along the line through O, i.e.
but we have so

3. Submerged vertical surface - Pressure diagrams


For vertical walls of constant width it is usually much easier to find the resultant force and centre of
pressure. This is done graphically by means of a pressure diagram.

Consider the tank in the diagram below having vertical walls and holding a liquid of density to a
depth of H. To the right can be seen a graphical representation of the (gauge) pressure change with
depth on one of the vertical walls. Pressure increases from zero at the surface linearly by , to
a maximum at the base of .

Pressure diagram for vertical wall.

The area of this triangle represents the resultant force per unit width on the vertical wall, using SI
units this would have units of Newtons per metre. So

Resultant force per unit width

The force acts through the centroid of the pressure diagram. For a triangle the centroid is at 2/3 its

height, i.e. in the figure above the resultant force acts horizontally through the point .
For a vertical plane the depth to the centre of pressure is given by

This can be checked against the previous method:

The resultant force is given by:

and the depth to the centre of pressure by:

and by the parallel axis theorem (with width of 1)

Giving depth to the centre of pressure

These two results are identical to the pressure diagram method.

The same pressure diagram technique can be used when combinations of liquids are held in tanks (e.g.
oil floating on water) with position of action found by taking moments of the individual resultant forces
for each fluid. Look at the examples to examine this area further.
More complex pressure diagrams can be draw for non-rectangular or non-vertical planes but it is
usually far easier to use the moments method.

4. Resultant force on a submerged curved surface


As stated above, if the surface is curved the forces on each element of the surface will not be parallel
and must be combined using some vectorial method.

It is most straightforward to calculate the horizontal and vertical components and combine these to
obtain the resultant force and its direction. (This can also be done for all three dimensions, but here we
will only look at one vertical plane).

In the diagram below the liquid is resting on top of a curved base.

The element of fluid ABC is equilibrium (as the fluid is at rest).

Horizontal forces

Considering the horizontal forces, none can act on CB as there are no shear forces in a static fluid so
the forces would act on the faces AC and AB as shown below.

We can see that the horizontal force on AC, , must equal and be in the opposite direction to the
resultant force on the curved surface.

As AC is the projection of the curved surface AB onto a vertical plane, we can generalise this to say
The resultant horizontal force of a fluid above a curved surface is:

RH = Resultant force on the projection of the curved surface onto a vertical plane.

We know that the force on a vertical plane must act horizontally (as it acts normal to the plane) and that
must act through the same point. So we can say

RH acts horizontally through the centre of pressure of the projection of


the curved surface onto an vertical plane.

Thus we can use the pressure diagram method to calculate the position and magnitude of the resultant
horizontal force on a two dimensional curved surface.

Vertical forces

The diagram below shows the vertical forces which act on the element of fluid above the curved
surface.

There are no shear force on the vertical edges, so the vertical component can only be due to the weight
of the fluid. So we can say

The resultant vertical force of a fluid above a curved surface is:

RV = Weight of fluid directly above the curved surface.

and it will act vertically downward through the centre of gravity of the mass of fluid.

Resultant force
The overall resultant force is found by combining the vertical and horizontal components vectorialy,

Resultant force

And acts through O at an angle of .

The angle the resultant force makes to the horizontal is

The position of O is the point of integration of the horizontal line of action of and the vertical line
of action of .

What are the forces if the fluid is below the curved surface? This situation may occur or a curved sluice
gate for example. The figure below shows a situation where there is a curved surface which is
experiencing fluid pressure from below.

The calculation of the forces acting from the fluid below is very similar to when the fluid is above.

Horizontal force

From the figure below we can see the only two horizontal forces on the area of fluid, which is in
equilibrium, are the horizontal reaction force which is equal and in the opposite direction to the
pressure force on the vertical plane A'B. The resultant horizontal force, RH acts as shown in the
diagram. Thus we can say:
The resultant horizontal force of a fluid below a curved surface is:

Vertical force

The vertical force are acting are as shown on the figure below. If the curved surface were removed and
the area it were replaced by the fluid, the whole system would be in equilibrium. Thus the force
required by the curved surface to maintain equilibrium is equal to that force which the fluid above the
surface would exert - i.e. the weight of the fluid.

Thus we can say:

The resultant vertical force of a fluid below a curved surface is:

Rv =Weight of the imaginary volume of fluid vertically above the curved surface.

The resultant force and direction of application are calculated in the same way as for fluids above the
surface:

Resultant force
And acts through O at an angle of .

The angle the resultant force makes to the horizontal is

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1. Example of the pressure and head


relationship:
What is a pressure of 500 kNm-2

A) In head of water of density,  = 1000 kgm-3

Use p = gh,

B) In head of Mercury density  = 13.6 x


103 kgm-3.

C) In head of a fluid with relative


density  = 8.7.
remember  =  x water)
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2. Example of a Piezometer.
What is the maximum gauge pressure of water that
can be measured by a Piezometer of height 1.5m?
And if the liquid had a relative density of 8.5 what
would the maximum measurable gauge pressure?

gauge pressure p = gh


 = water x relative density
The maximum measurable pressure is when the tube
is completely full (h=1.5m).
Any higher and the tube will overflow.
p = (0.85 x 103) x 9.81 x 1.5
p = 12 508 N/m2 (or Pa)
p = 12.5 kN/m2 (or kPa)

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3. An example of the U-Tube


manometer.
Using a u-tube manometer to measure gauge pressure
of fluid density  = 700 kg/m3, and the manometric
fluid is mercury, with a relative density of 13.6.
What is the gauge pressure if:
1. h1 = 0.4m and h2 = 0.9m?
1. h1 stayed the same but h2 = -0.1m?

pB = pC

pB = pA + gh1

pB = pAtmospheric + man gh2


We are measuring gauge pressure so patmospheric = 0
pA = man gh2 - gh1
a) pA = 13.6 x 103 x 9.81 x 0.9 - 700 x 9.81 x 0.4
= 117 327 N, 117.3 kN (1.17 bar)
b) pA = 13.6 x 103 x 9.81 x (-0.1) - 700 x 9.81 x 0.4
= -16 088.4 N, -16 kN (-0.16 bar)
The negative sign indicates that the pressure is
below atmospheric

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4. Example of the u-tube for pressure


difference measurement
In the figure below two pipes containing the same
fluid of density  = 990 kg/m3 are connected using a
u-tube manometer.
What is the pressure between the two pipes if the
manometer contains fluid of relative density 13.6?
pC = pD
pC = pA + g hA

pD = pB + g (hB - h) + man g h

pA - pB = g (hB - hA) + hg(man - )


= 990 x9.81x(0.75-1.5) + 0.5x9.81 x(13.6-0.99) x 103
= -7284 + 61852
= 54 568 N/m2 (or Pa or 0.55 bar)

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4. Example of the u-tube for pressure


difference measurement
In the figure below two pipes containing the same
fluid of density  = 990 kg/m3 are connected using a
u-tube manometer.
What is the pressure between the two pipes if the
manometer contains fluid of relative density 13.6?

pC = pD
pC = pA + g hA

pD = pB + g (hB - h) + man g h

pA - pB = g (hB - hA) + hg(man - )


= 990 x9.81x(0.75-1.5) + 0.5x9.81 x(13.6-0.99) x 103
= -7284 + 61852
= 54 568 N/m2 (or Pa or 0.55 bar)

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Example of an inclined manometer.
An inclined tube manometer consists of a vertical
cylinder 35mm diameter. At the bottom of this is
connected a tube 5mm in diameter inclined upward at
an angle of 15 to the horizontal, the top of this tube is
connected to an air duct. The vertical cylinder is open
to the air and the manometric fluid has relative
density 0.785.
Determine the pressure in the air duct if the
manometric fluid moved 50mm along the inclined
tube.
What is the error if the movement of the fluid in the
vertical cylinder is ignored?

Use this equation derived in the lectures

for a manometer where man >> 


where

z2 = x sin ,
and
A1 z1 = a2 x
z1 = x (d/D)2
where x is the reading on the manometer scale.
p1 is atmospheric i.e. p1 = 0

And x = -50mm = -0.05m,

If the movement in the large cylinder is ignored the


term (d/D)2 will disappear:

So the error induced by this assumption is


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6. An example of force on submerged


plane.
A tank holding water has a triangular gate, hinged at
the top, in one wall.
Find the moment at the hinge required to keep this
triangular gate closed.

Resultant force
R = pressure at centroid x Area

=
Where is the depth to the centroid (point G above).
This force acts through the centre of pressure.
From the lecture notes, depth to centre of pressure

As the wall is vertical sin  = 1 and

The parallel axis theorem says,

And for a triangle,

The moment on the hinge from the water is


Which is clockwise.
The moment required to keep the gate closed is equal
but anticlockwise.

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7. Example of pressure diagram method


for pressure on a vertical plane.
Find the position and magnitude of the resultant force
on this vertical wall of a tank which has oil, of relative
density 0.8, floating on water as shown.

Draw the pressure diagram as shown to the right.


The resultant force (per unit length) is simply the
area of the pressure diagram.
It is convenient to split the area into three, and sum
the answers.
F1 = A1 = (0.8 x 103) x 9.81 x 0.8 x 0.8x0.5 = 2511.36
F2 = A2 = (0.8 x 103) x 9.81 x 0.8 x 1.2 = 7534.08
F3 = A3 = (103) x 9.81 x 1.2 x 1.2 x 0.5 = 7063.20
R = F1 + F2 + F3 = 17108.64 N/m
R acts horizontally through the centroid of the
pressure diagram.
This position can be found by taking moments of the
individual forces and equating the sum of these to the
moment caused by the resultant force.
RD = F1d1 + F2d2 + F3d3
The individual forces act horizontally through the
centroid of the individual areas.
d1 = 0.8 x 2/3 = 0.533
d2 = 0.8 + 1.2/2 = 1.4
d3 = 0.8 +1.2 x 2/3 = 1.6
17108D = 2511 x0.53 + 7534 x 1.4 + 7063 x 1.6
= 1339 + 1054+11301
= 23188
D = 1.36 m

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8. An example of force on a curved wall


Find the magnitude and direction of the resultant
force of water on a quadrant gate as shown below.

Horizontal force, RH = Force on projection of curved

surface on to a vertical plane


= 0.5 xgh2 x width
= 0.5 x 1000 x 9.81 x 12 x 3
= 14715 N
Vertical force, RV = weight of fluid above
surface
= g x Volume
= 1000 x 9.81 x(r2/4) x 3
= 23114 N
Resultant force
At an angle

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9. An example of force on a curved


sluice gate with fluid both above and
below the gate.
A 1.5m long cylinder, radius 1m, lies as
shown in the figure. It holds back oil of
relative density 0.8. If the cylinder has a
mass of 2250 kg find
a) the reaction at A b) the reaction at B
Horizontal force RH = projection of
vertical plane
Reaction at A = -RH = 0.5 x gH2 x
Length
= 0.5 x 0.8 x 103 x 9.81 x 22 x 1.5
= 23544 N, to the left
Vertical force = Reaction at B
RV = Force due to weight of fluid, DCE,
above (down)
+ Force due to fluid below BD (upward)
+ Force due to weight of cylinder
Force of fluid above = area of sector
DCE x length x g
Force from below = area of real or
imaginary fluid above BD
= area of BDEC x length x g
Taking downward as positive
RV =  x 103x9 x(11 - r2/4) x 1.5
-  x x x( 11 + r2/4) ) x 1.5
+ 22509.81
= 2526 -
= 3580 N
Reaction at B = 3580 N, vertically up
The resultant and angle of application
are given by:

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Statics Examples
Pressure and Manometers

1. What will be the (a) the gauge pressure and (b) the absolute pressure of
water at depth 12m below the surface? water = 1000 kg/m3, and p
2
atmosphere = 101kN/m .
[117.72 kN/m2, 218.72 kN/m2]
2. At what depth below the surface of oil, relative density 0.8, will
produce a pressure of 120 kN/m2? What depth of water is this
equivalent to?
[15.3m, 12.2m]
3. What would the pressure in kN/m2 be if the equivalent head is
measured as 400mm of (a) mercury =13.6 (b) water ( c) oil specific
weight 7.9 kN/m3 (d) a liquid of density 520 kg/m3?
[53.4 kN/m2, 3.92 kN/m2, 3.16 kN/m2, 2.04 kN/m2]
4. A manometer connected to a pipe indicates a negative gauge pressure
of 50mm of mercury. What is the absolute pressure in the pipe in
Newtons per square metre if the atmospheric pressure is 1 bar?
[93.3 kN/m2]
5. What height would a water barometer need to be to measure
atmospheric pressure?
[>10m]
6. An inclined manometer is required to measure an air pressure of 3mm
of water to an accuracy of +/- 3%. The inclined arm is 8mm in
diameter and the larger arm has a diameter of 24mm. The manometric
fluid has density 740 kg/m3 and the scale may be read to +/- 0.5mm.
What is the angle required to ensure the desired accuracy may be
achieved?
[12 39']
7. Determine the resultant force due to the water acting on the 1m by 2m
rectangular area AB shown in the diagram below.
(On the diagram distance OA is 1.22m and AB is 2.0m)
[43 560 N, 2.37m from O

8. Determine the resultant force due to the water acting on the 1.25m by
2.0m triangular area CD shown in the figure above. The apex of the
triangle is at C.
(On the diagram depth to point C is 1.0m and the distance CD is 2.0m)
[23.8103N, 2.821m from P]

Forces on submerged surfaces

1. Obtain an expression for the depth of the centre of pressure of a plane


surface wholly submerged in a fluid and inclined at an angle to the free
surface of the liquid.
A horizontal circular pipe, 1.25m diameter, is closed by a butterfly disk
which rotates about a horizontal axis through its centre. Determine the
torque which would have to be applied to the disk spindle to keep the
disk closed in a vertical position when there is a 3m head of fresh
water above the axis.
[1176 Nm]
2. A dock gate is to be reinforced with three horizontal beams. If the
water acts on one side only, to a depth of 6m, find the positions of the
beams measured from the water surface so that each will carry an equal
load. Give the load per meter.
[58 860 N/m, 2.31m, 4.22m, 5.47m]
3. The profile of a masonry dam is an arc of a circle, the arc having a
radius of 30m and subtending an angle of 60 at the centre of curvature
which lies in the water surface. Determine (a) the load on the dam in
N/m length, (b) the position of the line of action to this pressure.
[4.28 106 N/m length at depth 19.0m]
4. The arch of a bridge over a stream is in the form of a semi-circle of
radius 2m. the bridge width is 4m. Due to a flood the water level is
now 1.25m above the crest of the arch. Calculate (a) the upward force
on the underside of the arch, (b) the horizontal thrust on one half of the
arch.
[263.6 kN, 176.6 kN]
5. The face of a dam is vertical to a depth of 7.5m below the water
surface then slopes at 30 to the vertical. If the depth of water is 17m
what is the resultant force per metre acting on the whole face?
[1563.29 kN]
6. A tank with vertical sides is square in plan with 3m long sides. The
tank contains oil of relative density 0.9 to a depth of 2.0m which is
floating on water a depth of 1.5m. Calculate the force on the walls and
the height of the centre of pressure from the bottom of the tank.
[165.54 kN, 1.15m]

1. Fluid Dynamics
Objectives

 Introduce concepts necessary to analyses fluids in motion


 Identify differences between Steady/unsteady uniform/non-uniform
compressible/incompressible flow
 Demonstrate streamlines and stream tubes
 Introduce the Continuity principle through conservation of mass and
control volumes
 Derive the Bernoulli (energy) equation
 Demonstrate practical uses of the Bernoulli and continuity equation in
the analysis of flow
 Introduce the momentum equation for a fluid
 Demonstrate how the momentum equation and principle of
conservation of momentum is used to predict forces induced by
flowing fluids

This section discusses the analysis of fluid in motion - fluid dynamics. The motion of
fluids can be predicted in the same way as the motion of solids are predicted using the
fundamental laws of physics together with the physical properties of the fluid.
It is not difficult to envisage a very complex fluid flow. Spray behind a car; waves on
beaches; hurricanes and tornadoes or any other atmospheric phenomenon are all
example of highly complex fluid flows which can be analysed with varying degrees of
success (in some cases hardly at all!). There are many common situations which are
easily analysed.

2. Uniform Flow, Steady Flow


It is possible - and useful - to classify the type of flow which is being examined into
small number of groups.

If we look at a fluid flowing under normal circumstances - a river for example - the
conditions at one point will vary from those at another point (e.g. different velocity)
we have non-uniform flow. If the conditions at one point vary as time passes then we
have unsteady flow.

Under some circumstances the flow will not be as changeable as this. He following
terms describe the states which are used to classify fluid flow:

 uniform flow: If the flow velocity is the same magnitude and direction
at every point in the fluid it is said to be uniform.
 non-uniform: If at a given instant, the velocity is not the same at every
point the flow is non-uniform. (In practice, by this definition, every
fluid that flows near a solid boundary will be non-uniform - as the fluid
at the boundary must take the speed of the boundary, usually zero.
However if the size and shape of the of the cross-section of the stream
of fluid is constant the flow is considered uniform.)
 steady: A steady flow is one in which the conditions (velocity, pressure
and cross-section) may differ from point to point but DO NOT change
with time.
 unsteady: If at any point in the fluid, the conditions change with time,
the flow is described as unsteady. (In practise there is always slight
variations in velocity and pressure, but if the average values are
constant, the flow is considered steady.

Combining the above we can classify any flow in to one of four type:

1. Steady uniform flow. Conditions do not change with position in the


stream or with time. An example is the flow of water in a pipe of
constant diameter at constant velocity.
2. Steady non-uniform flow. Conditions change from point to point in the
stream but do not change with time. An example is flow in a tapering
pipe with constant velocity at the inlet - velocity will change as you
move along the length of the pipe toward the exit.
3. Unsteady uniform flow. At a given instant in time the conditions at
every point are the same, but will change with time. An example is a
pipe of constant diameter connected to a pump pumping at a constant
rate which is then switched off.
4. Unsteady non-uniform flow. Every condition of the flow may change
from point to point and with time at every point. For example waves in
a channel.

If you imaging the flow in each of the above classes you may imagine that one class is
more complex than another. And this is the case - steady uniform flow is by far the
most simple of the four. You will then be pleased to hear that this course is restricted
to only this class of flow. We will not be encountering any non-uniform or unsteady
effects in any of the examples (except for one or two quasi-time dependent problems
which can be treated at steady).

3. Compressible or Incompressible
All fluids are compressible - even water - their density will change as pressure
changes. Under steady conditions, and provided that the changes in pressure are
small, it is usually possible to simplify analysis of the flow by assuming it is
incompressible and has constant density. As you will appreciate, liquids are quite
difficult to compress - so under most steady conditions they are treated as
incompressible. In some unsteady conditions very high pressure differences can occur
and it is necessary to take these into account - even for liquids. Gasses, on the
contrary, are very easily compressed, it is essential in most cases to treat these as
compressible, taking changes in pressure into account.

4. Three-dimensional flow
Although in general all fluids flow three-dimensionally, with pressures and velocities
and other flow properties varying in all directions, in many cases the greatest changes
only occur in two directions or even only in one. In these cases changes in the other
direction can be effectively ignored making analysis much more simple.

Flow is one dimensional if the flow parameters (such as velocity, pressure, depth etc.)
at a given instant in time only vary in the direction of flow and not across the cross-
section. The flow may be unsteady, in this case the parameter vary in time but still not
across the cross-section. An example of one-dimensional flow is the flow in a pipe.
Note that since flow must be zero at the pipe wall - yet non-zero in the centre - there
is a difference of parameters across the cross-section. Should this be treated as two-
dimensional flow? Possibly - but it is only necessary if very high accuracy is required.
A correction factor is then usually applied.

One dimensional flow in a pipe.


Flow is two-dimensional if it can be assumed that the flow parameters vary in the
direction of flow and in one direction at right angles to this direction. Streamlines in
two-dimensional flow are curved lines on a plane and are the same on all parallel
planes. An example is flow over a weir foe which typical streamlines can be seen in
the figure below. Over the majority of the length of the weir the flow is the same -
only at the two ends does it change slightly. Here correction factors may be applied.

Two-dimensional flow over a weir.

In this course we will only be considering steady, incompressible one and two-
dimensional flow.

5. Streamlines and streamtubes


In analysing fluid flow it is useful to visualise the flow pattern. This can be done by
drawing lines joining points of equal velocity - velocity contours. These lines are
know as streamlines. Here is a simple example of the streamlines around a cross-
section of an aircraft wing shaped body:

Streamlines around a wing shaped body

When fluid is flowing past a solid boundary, e.g. the surface of an aerofoil or the wall
of a pipe, fluid obviously does not flow into or out of the surface. So very close to a
boundary wall the flow direction must be parallel to the boundary.

 Close to a solid boundary streamlines are parallel to that boundary

At all points the direction of the streamline is the direction of the fluid velocity: this is
how they are defined. Close to the wall the velocity is parallel to the wall so the
streamline is also parallel to the wall.
It is also important to recognise that the position of streamlines can change with time -
this is the case in unsteady flow. In steady flow, the position of streamlines does not
change.

Some things to know about streamlines

 Because the fluid is moving in the same direction as the streamlines,


fluid can not cross a streamline.

 Streamlines can not cross each other. If they were to cross this would
indicate two different velocities at the same point. This is not
physically possible.

 The above point implies that any particles of fluid starting on one
streamline will stay on that same streamline throughout the fluid.

A useful technique in fluid flow analysis is to consider only a part of the total fluid in
isolation from the rest. This can be done by imagining a tubular surface formed by
streamlines along which the fluid flows. This tubular surface is known as a
streamtube.

A Streamtube
And in a two-dimensional flow we have a streamtube which is flat (in the plane of the
paper):

A two dimensional version of the streamtube


The "walls" of a streamtube are made of streamlines. As we have seen above, fluid
cannot flow across a streamline, so fluid cannot cross a streamtube wall. The
streamtube can often be viewed as a solid walled pipe. A streamtube is not a pipe - it
differs in unsteady flow as the walls will move with time. And it differs because the
"wall" is moving with the fluid

Go back to the main index page

Go back to the main index page

Continuity and Conservation of Matter


1. Mass flow rate
If we want to measure the rate at which water is flowing along a pipe. A very simple
way of doing this is to catch all the water coming out of the pipe in a bucket over a
fixed time period. Measuring the weight of the water in the bucket and dividing this
by the time taken to collect this water gives a rate of accumulation of mass. This is
know as the mass flow rate.

For example an empty bucket weighs 2.0kg. After 7 seconds of collecting water the
bucket weighs 8.0kg, then:
Performing a similar calculation, if we know the mass flow is 1.7kg/s, how long will
it take to fill a container with 8kg of fluid?

2. Volume flow rate - Discharge.


More commonly we need to know the volume flow rate - this is more commonly
know as discharge. (It is also commonly, but inaccurately, simply called flow rate).
The symbol normally used for discharge is Q. The discharge is the volume of fluid
flowing per unit time. Multiplying this by the density of the fluid gives us the mass
flow rate. Consequently, if the density of the fluid in the above example is 850
then:

An important aside about units should be made here:

As has already been stressed, we must always use a consistent set of units when
applying values to equations. It would make sense therefore to always quote the
values in this consistent set. This set of units will be the SI units. Unfortunately, and
this is the case above, these actual practical values are very small or very large
(0.001008m3/s is very small). These numbers are difficult to imagine physically. In
these cases it is useful to use derived units, and in the case above the useful derived
unit is the litre.
(1 litre = 1.0 10-3m3). So the solution becomes . It is far easier to imagine 1
litre than 1.0 10-3m3. Units must always be checked, and converted if necessary to a
consistent set before using in an equation.

3. Discharge and mean velocity


If we know the size of a pipe, and we know the discharge, we can deduce the mean
velocity

Discharge in a pipe

If the area of cross section of the pipe at point X is A, and the mean velocity here is
. During a time t, a cylinder of fluid will pass point X with a volume A t. The
volume per unit time (the discharge) will thus be

So if the cross-section area, A, is and the discharge, Q is , then the


mean velocity, , of the fluid is

Note how carefully we have called this the mean velocity. This is because the velocity
in the pipe is not constant across the cross section. Crossing the centreline of the pipe,
the velocity is zero at the walls increasing to a maximum at the centre then decreasing
symmetrically to the other wall. This variation across the section is known as the
velocity profile or distribution. A typical one is shown in the figure below.

A typical velocity profile across a pipe

This idea, that mean velocity multiplied by the area gives the discharge, applies to all
situations - not just pipe flow.
4. Continuity
Matter cannot be created or destroyed - (it is simply changed in to a different form of
matter). This principle is know as the conservation of mass and we use it in the
analysis of flowing fluids.

The principle is applied to fixed volumes, known as control volumes (or surfaces),
like that in the figure below:

An arbitrarily shaped control volume.

For any control volume the principle of conservation of mass says

Mass entering per unit time = Mass leaving per unit time + Increase of mass in the
control volume per unit time

For steady flow there is no increase in the mass within the control volume, so

For steady flow

Mass entering per unit time = Mass leaving per unit time

This can be applied to a streamtube such as that shown below. No fluid flows across
the boundary made by the streamlines so mass only enters and leaves through the two
ends of this streamtube section.
A streamtube

We can then write

Or for steady flow,

This is the equation of continuity.

The flow of fluid through a real pipe (or any other vessel) will vary due to the
presence of a wall - in this case we can use the mean velocity and write

When the fluid can be considered incompressible, i.e. the density does not change, 1
= 2 =  so (dropping the m subscript)

This is the form of the continuity equation most often used.


This equation is a very powerful tool in fluid mechanics and will be used repeatedly
throughout the rest of this course.

Some example applications

We can apply the principle of continuity to pipes with cross sections which change
along their length. Consider the diagram below of a pipe with a contraction:

A liquid is flowing from left to right and the pipe is narrowing in the same direction.
By the continuity principle, the mass flow rate must be the same at each section - the
mass going into the pipe is equal to the mass going out of the pipe. So we can write:

(with the sub-scripts 1 and 2 indicating the values at the two sections)

As we are considering a liquid, usually water, which is not very compressible, the
density changes very little so we can say . This also says that the volume
flow rate is constant or that

For example if the area and and the upstream mean


velocity, , then the downstream mean velocity can be calculated by

Notice how the downstream velocity only changes from the upstream by the ratio of
the two areas of the pipe. As the area of the circular pipe is a function of the diameter
we can reduce the calculation further,
Now try this on a diffuser, a pipe which expands or diverges as in the figure below,

If the diameter at section 1 is and at section 2 and the mean


velocity at section 2 is . The velocity entering the diffuser is given by,

Another example of the use of the continuity principle is to determine the velocities in
pipes coming from a junction.

Total mass flow into the junction = Total mass flow out of the junction
1Q1 = 2Q2 + 3Q3

When the flow is incompressible (e.g. if it is water) 1 = 2 = 


If pipe 1 diameter = 50mm, mean velocity 2m/s, pipe 2 diameter 40mm takes 30% of
total discharge and pipe 3 diameter 60mm. What are the values of discharge and mean
velocity in each pipe?

Go back to the main index page

Go back to the main index page

The Bernoulli equation


1. Work and energy
We know that if we drop a ball it accelerates downward with an acceleration
(neglecting the frictional resistance due to air). We can calculate the
speed of the ball after falling a distance h by the formula (a = g and s =
h). The equation could be applied to a falling droplet of water as the same laws of
motion apply

A more general approach to obtaining the parameters of motion (of both solids and
fluids) is to apply the principle of conservation of energy. When friction is negligible
the

sum of kinetic energy and gravitational potential energy is constant.

Kinetic energy
Gravitational potential energy

(m is the mass, v is the velocity and h is the height above the datum).

To apply this to a falling droplet we have an initial velocity of zero, and it falls
through a height of h.

Initial kinetic energy

Initial potential energy

Final kinetic energy

Final potential energy

We know that

kinetic energy + potential energy = constant

so

Initial kinetic energy + Initial potential energy = Final kinetic energy + Final potential
energy

so

Although this is applied to a drop of liquid, a similar method can be applied to a


continuous jet of liquid.

The Trajectory of a jet of water

We can consider the situation as in the figure above - a continuous jet of water
coming from a pipe with velocity . One particle of the liquid with mass travels
with the jet and falls from height to . The velocity also changes from to .
The jet is travelling in air where the pressure is everywhere atmospheric so there is no
force due to pressure acting on the fluid. The only force which is acting is that due to
gravity. The sum of the kinetic and potential energies remains constant (as we neglect
energy losses due to friction) so

As is constant this becomes

This will give a reasonably accurate result as long as the weight of the jet is large
compared to the frictional forces. It is only applicable while the jet is whole - before it
breaks up into droplets.

Flow from a reservoir

We can use a very similar application of the energy conservation concept to determine
the velocity of flow along a pipe from a reservoir. Consider the 'idealised reservoir' in
the figure below.

An idealised reservoir

The level of the water in the reservoir is . Considering the energy situation - there
is no movement of water so kinetic energy is zero but the gravitational potential
energy is .

If a pipe is attached at the bottom water flows along this pipe out of the tank to a level
. A mass has flowed from the top of the reservoir to the nozzle and it has gained

a velocity . The kinetic energy is now and the potential energy .


Summarising

Initial kinetic energy


Initial potential energy

Final kinetic energy

Final potential energy

We know that

kinetic energy + potential energy = constant

so

so

We now have a expression for the velocity of the water as it flows from of a pipe
nozzle at a height below the surface of the reservoir. (Neglecting friction
losses in the pipe and the nozzle).

Now apply this to this example: A reservoir of water has the surface at 310m above
the outlet nozzle of a pipe with diameter 15mm. What is the a) velocity, b) the
discharge out of the nozzle and c) mass flow rate. (Neglect all friction in the nozzle
and the pipe).

Volume flow rate is equal to the area of the nozzle multiplied by the velocity

The density of water is so the mass flow rate is


In the above examples the resultant pressure force was always zero as the pressure
surrounding the fluid was the everywhere the same - atmospheric. If the pressures had
been different there would have been an extra force acting and we would have to take
into account the work done by this force when calculating the final velocity.

We have already seen in the hydrostatics section an example of pressure difference


where the velocities are zero.

The pipe is filled with stationary fluid of density has pressures and at levels
and respectively. What is the pressure difference in terms of these levels?

or

This applies when the pressure varies but the fluid is stationary.

Compare this to the equation derived for a moving fluid but constant pressure:

You can see that these are similar form. What would happen if both pressure and
velocity varies?

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