Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur

Department of Earth Sciences

Geodynamics
Lecture 24: Basics of Fluid
Mechanics I

Dr. Rabiul Haque Biswas

Assistant Professor
Fluid

Fluid is the material that flow in response to applied force

Difference between solids and fluids

Solid Fluid
Strain from being stressed, localized Continuous deformation under applied force

Stresses related to strain Stresses related to rate of strain

Strain results of displacement gradient Strain results of velocity gradient

Elastic non elastic

Newtonian and non Newtonian Fluid

• A Newtonian fluid is the fluid in which there is a linear relations between stress and rate of strain

stress ∝ strain rate Example: Water

• In non-Newtonian fluid the relationship between stress and rate of strain is non-linear

stress ∝ (strain rate)n + constant

Example: Quicksand, Cornflour (Dilatant), Ketchup (Pseudoplastic)
Fluid mechanics
• The concept of fluid mechanics are based on conservation of

• Mass
• Energy, and
• Momentum

• Conservation of mass momentum and energy are combined with the rheological law to
describe the fluid movement under applied stress

• Water flow in river

• Ice flow
• Ground water flow through underground channels know as aquifers
• Mantle convection
• Mass flow in the Asthenosphere
• Volcanic pipes
Simple steady fluid flow: basic concept
Fluid flow occurs due to applied force or stress (External) Newtonian Fluid

p1 p0

p1 >p0

⎛ du ⎞
Resistance force, viscosity, similar as friction (Internal) shearstress(τ ) ∝ velocity gradient ⎜ ⎟
⎝ dy ⎠
!
u du
τ =µ
! dy
Resistant force

𝜇: viscosity coefficient (sometimes denoted as η)

Viscous properties (parameters)
du
Dimension of viscosity (μ) τ =µ
! dx

τ Pa
µ= = = Pa s
du ms&1 m&1
! dy

If the viscous material is kept in a place, the material will diffuse

µ
Kinematic viscosity υ=
ρ
µ Pa s
What is the dimension of ν υ= = = m2 s&1
ρ Pa
! m ms&2

The kinematic viscosity is a diffusivity, similar to the thermal diffusivity κ. While κ describes how heat diffuses by
molecular collisions, ν describes how momentum diffuses.
Viscous properties (parameters)
The ratio of ν to κ is a dimensionless quantity known as the Prandtl number, Pr

υ
Pr =
! κ
A fluid with a small Prandtl number diffuses heat more rapidly than it does momentum; the reverse is
true for a fluid with a large value of Pr.

Fluids at 15 oC and Atmospheric Pressure

Channel flow

Principle: balancing the forces on layer at depth y, thickness δy and of length l

Pressure at the entrance is p1 and at the exit p0

The net pressure force on the element in the x direction is (p1 – p0) δy

The shear force on the upper boundary of the layer is –τ(y)l and in the bottom boundary layer is τ(y+δy)l

The net shear force on the element in the x direction is τ(y+δy)l –τ(y)l
Channel flow

The net pressure force on the element in the x

direction is (p1 – p0) δy

The net shear force on the element in the x

direction is τ(y+δy)l –τ(y)l

The net force on the layer must be zero

(p − p )δ y + τ ( y + δ y)l − τ ( y)l = 0
! 1 0
⎧ dτ ⎫
(p1 − p0 )δ y + ⎨τ ( y)+ δ y ⎬ l − τ ( y)l = 0
⎩ dy ⎭
!
dτ p −p dτ dp
when δyè0 = − 1 0 or , =
!dy l dy dx
With p1 >p0, a pressure difference tending to move the fluid in the positive x direction, the pressure gradient dp/dx is
negative
Channel flow

dτ dp
Force balance =
!dy dx
du
Viscous property τ =µ
! dy

d 2u dp
Combining µ 2=
! dy dx

Second order differential equation: need two boundary conditions to solve it

1. u = 0 at y=h
2. u = u0 at y =0.

These boundary conditions are known as no-slip boundary conditions. A viscous fluid in contact with a solid
boundary must have the same velocity as the boundary.
Channel flow

d 2u dp
µ 2=
! dy dx
1. u = 0 at y=h
2. u = u0 at y =0.

General solution

After applying boundary condition

Channel flow

If the applied pressure gradient is zero,

p1 = p0 or dp/dx = 0
Channel flow

If the velocity of the upper plate is zero, u0 = 0,

If

The velocity profile is a parabola that is symmetric

about the centerline of the channel
Channel flow

Task: calculate the average velocity of this channel flow

h2 dp
u= −
! 12µ dx
Channel flow

dτ dp
Force balance =
sinα dy dx
ρgx !
du
Viscous property τ =µ
ρgx ! dy

Determine the equation of motion: Apply the no-slip condition at y = h and the free-surface condition,
τ = 0, at y = 0.
dp d 2u
= − ρ gsin α µ 2 = − ρ gsin α
!dx ! dy

ρ gsin α 2
Solution: u= (h − y 2 )
! 2µ