Fluid Mechanics I

Third Year, Mechanical Department.

Course Coordinator:
Dr. Mohamed Sayed Soliman
Mechanical Power Eng. Dept., Faculty of Engineering,
Port-Said University.
1
Port-Said 2023-2024
 Lecture 5-6

Chapter 2 Fluid Statics:

(Part B):
Hydrostatic Forces on Submerged
Surfaces
2
 Outline

1- Introduction
2- Hydrostatic Forces on submerged Surfaces;
2-1 Hydrostatic Forces on Plane Surfaces;
2-1-1 Magnitude, direction, and point of action.
2-2 Hydrostatic Forces on curved Surfaces;
2-2-1 Magnitude, direction, and point of action.
3- Buoyancy

3
 1- Introduction
The pressure of a fluid 𝑃𝑃 = 𝛾𝛾. ℎ causes a force to be exerted on every part of any surface
with which the fluid is in contact. The individual forces distributed over the area have a
resultant, and determination of the magnitude, direction and position of this resultant force is
frequently important.

When analyzing hydrostatic forces on

submerged surfaces, the atmospheric
pressure can be subtracted for simplicity
when it acts on both sides of the structure.
1- Introduction
2-1 Hydrostatic Forces on Plane Surfaces
From Figure, ℎ (below the free surface) is the depth to
any element area 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 of the plate, the gage pressure is (𝑃𝑃
= 𝛾𝛾. ℎ) and the corresponding force is:
𝐹𝐹 = 𝑃𝑃. 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
𝐹𝐹𝑅𝑅 = � 𝑃𝑃. 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 = � 𝛾𝛾. ℎ. 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 = � 𝛾𝛾. (𝑦𝑦. sin 𝜃𝜃). 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
𝐴𝐴 𝐴𝐴 𝐴𝐴

𝐹𝐹𝑅𝑅 = 𝛾𝛾. sin 𝜃𝜃 � 𝑦𝑦. 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑

𝐴𝐴
(∫𝐴𝐴 𝑦𝑦. 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑) is the first moment of the area about the x axis
is related to the y coordinate of the centroid (or center)
of the surface by
1
𝑦𝑦𝑐𝑐 = � 𝑦𝑦. 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 � 𝑦𝑦. 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 = 𝑦𝑦𝑐𝑐 . 𝐴𝐴
𝐴𝐴
𝐴𝐴 𝐴𝐴

Then, the 𝑭𝑭𝑹𝑹 = 𝛾𝛾. sin 𝜃𝜃 . 𝑦𝑦𝑐𝑐 . 𝐴𝐴 = 𝛾𝛾. ℎ𝑐𝑐 . 𝐴𝐴 [𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀]

 𝑭𝑭𝑹𝑹 = 𝜸𝜸. 𝒉𝒉𝒄𝒄 . 𝑨𝑨 = 𝑃𝑃𝑐𝑐 . 𝐴𝐴 = 𝑃𝑃𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 . 𝐴𝐴

𝑭𝑭𝑹𝑹 = 𝜸𝜸. 𝒉𝒉𝒄𝒄 . 𝑨𝑨

where 𝑃𝑃𝑐𝑐 is the pressure at the centroid of
the surface, which is equivalent to the
average pressure 𝑃𝑃𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 on the plate,

 The net force (resultant force) on the plane

surface depends on the depth of the plate
centroid below the surface.

 The net force is the area multiplied by the

pressure at the centroid.
 Direction, the Resultant force always act
normal to the plate, from the fluid to the
plate.
Center of pressure [The point at which the
resultant force act], Line of action.

To determine the center of pressure, add up

all contributions to the force over each
small piece of the area, but multiplied by 𝑦𝑦
The resultant force 𝐹𝐹𝑅𝑅 always passes below the
centroid since 𝑦𝑦𝑅𝑅 > 𝑦𝑦𝑐𝑐 .
Center of pressure
The resultant force 𝐹𝐹𝑅𝑅 does not act through the centroid
but below it toward the high-pressure side. Its line of
action passes through the center of pressure of the plate.
To find the coordinates (x, y), we sum moments of the
elemental force (𝐹𝐹 = 𝑃𝑃. 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑) about the origin (o) and
equate to the moment of the resultant 𝐹𝐹𝑅𝑅 . To compute 𝑦𝑦𝑅𝑅 ,
we equate
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 = 𝑃𝑃. 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 = 𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌ℎ. 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 = 𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌. (𝑦𝑦. 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠). 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑

𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 = 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑. 𝑦𝑦 = 𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌. (𝑦𝑦 2 . 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠). 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑

𝑀𝑀 = ∫ 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 = 𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌.𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 ∫𝐴𝐴 𝑦𝑦 2 . 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑

where 𝐼𝐼𝑋𝑋 = ∫𝐴𝐴 𝑦𝑦 2 . 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 is the second moment of area about the x axis.

𝑀𝑀 = ∫ 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 = 𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌.𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠. 𝐼𝐼𝑋𝑋 = 𝐹𝐹𝑅𝑅 . 𝑦𝑦𝑅𝑅

Center of pressure
From the parallel axes theorem 𝐼𝐼𝑋𝑋 = 𝐼𝐼𝑋𝑋𝑋𝑋 + 𝐴𝐴. 𝑦𝑦𝑐𝑐2 X
where Ixc is the second moment of area about the Y

centroidal axis. Hence 𝑦𝑦𝑐𝑐

𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌.𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠. 𝐼𝐼𝑋𝑋𝑐𝑐 + 𝐴𝐴. 𝑦𝑦𝑐𝑐2 = 𝐹𝐹𝑅𝑅 . 𝑦𝑦𝑅𝑅 = 𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌.𝑦𝑦𝑐𝑐 . 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠. 𝐴𝐴. 𝑦𝑦𝑅𝑅
𝑦𝑦𝑅𝑅 C
𝐼𝐼𝑋𝑋𝑐𝑐 𝐴𝐴. 𝑦𝑦𝑐𝑐2 XC
𝐼𝐼𝑋𝑋𝑐𝑐 + 𝐴𝐴. 𝑦𝑦𝑐𝑐2 = 𝑦𝑦𝑐𝑐 . 𝐴𝐴. 𝑦𝑦𝑅𝑅 𝑦𝑦𝑅𝑅 = + CP
𝑦𝑦𝑐𝑐 . 𝐴𝐴 𝑦𝑦𝑐𝑐 . 𝐴𝐴
𝐼𝐼𝑋𝑋𝑐𝑐
𝑦𝑦𝑅𝑅 = 𝑦𝑦𝑐𝑐 + ℎ𝑅𝑅 = 𝑦𝑦𝑅𝑅 sin 𝜃𝜃
𝑦𝑦𝑐𝑐 . 𝐴𝐴
𝐼𝐼𝑋𝑋𝑐𝑐 . sin 𝜃𝜃 𝐼𝐼𝑋𝑋𝑐𝑐 . 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠2 𝜃𝜃
ℎ𝑅𝑅 = ℎ𝑐𝑐 + ℎ𝑅𝑅 = ℎ𝑐𝑐 +
𝑦𝑦𝑐𝑐 . 𝐴𝐴 ℎ𝑐𝑐 . 𝐴𝐴
The resultant force 𝐹𝐹𝑅𝑅 always passes below the centroid since 𝑦𝑦𝑅𝑅 > 𝑦𝑦𝑐𝑐 .
 y
y

CG L/2 A = bL A = π.R2
x CG R x
Ixc = (bL3)/12 Ixc = (πR4)/4
L/2 R

b/2 b/2
(b) Circle
(a) Rectangle

The centroidal moment of area for some

common geometries
y
y
2L/3 A = bL/2 A = π.R2/2
CG x
Ixc = (bL3)/36 CG x Ixc = 0.11R4
L/3 4R/3π
b/2 b/2 R R
(c) Triangle (d) Semi-circle
Example 1
The flow of water from a reservoir is controlled by a 1.5 m wide L-shaped gate hinged at point
A, as shown in Figure. If it is desired that the gate open when the water height is 3.6 m,
determine the mass of the required weight W.

12
Data: Wide = 1.5 m
Req.: W
Solution:

Wide=1.5 m
Side View

13
2-2 Hydrostatic Forces on Curved Surfaces
The resultant pressure force on a curved surface is
most easily computed by separating it into
horizontal and vertical components, as shown in j
the figure.
𝐹𝐹�𝑅𝑅 = 𝐹𝐹𝐻𝐻 �𝑖𝑖 + 𝐹𝐹𝑉𝑉 �𝑗𝑗 i

The horizontal component ( 𝐹𝐹𝐻𝐻 ) of force on a

curved surface equals the force on the plane
area formed by the projection of the curved
surface onto a vertical plane normal to the
component.

𝐹𝐹𝐻𝐻 = 𝛾𝛾. ℎ𝑐𝑐 . 𝐴𝐴

The vertical component ( 𝐹𝐹𝑉𝑉 ) of pressure force on a curved surface equals in
magnitude and direction the weight of the entire column of fluid above the
curved surface.
𝐹𝐹𝑉𝑉 = 𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊 𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓 = 𝛾𝛾. 𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉

The Resultant force, 𝐹𝐹𝑅𝑅

𝐹𝐹𝑅𝑅 = 𝐹𝐹𝐻𝐻2 + 𝐹𝐹𝑉𝑉2 𝐹𝐹𝑉𝑉

With an angle, θ

−1
𝐹𝐹𝑉𝑉
𝜃𝜃 = tan 𝜽𝜽
𝐹𝐹𝐻𝐻
𝐹𝐹𝐻𝐻
Example 2

Find the vertical force, horizontal force, and resultant force on the quarter circular door AB,
from water on one side and air on the other. The door is 2 m in width.
D
C

Water Wide = 2 m
3m
B
Solution 1m

For the horizontal force, FH A O

Side view
FH = 𝛾𝛾. ℎ𝑐𝑐 . 𝐴𝐴

where A is Projected area on the vertical plane BO (rectangle)

FH = 9810 * (3 – 0.5)* [1*2] = 49000 N
 For the vertical force
D
C
FV = 𝛾𝛾. 𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉
Water
3m
B
1m
= −
A O

where V is (volume having face AOCD – volume having quarter-circle face)

FV =9810 * [(3*1*2) – (π*(1)2*2/4)] = 43400 N

The resultant force is then

F = 43.4 2 + 49 2 = 65.46 kN
 3- Buoyancy
Whenever a body is immersed wholly or partially in a fluid it is subjected to an upward forces
which tends to lift (or buoy) it up. This tendency for an immersed body to be lifted up in the
fluid, due to an upward force opposite to action of gravity is known as buoyancy.

The magnitude of the buoyant force can be determined by Archimedes principle which states
as follows:
When a body is immersed in a fluid either wholly or partially, it is buoyed or lifted up by a
force, which is equal to the weight of fluid displaced by the body.

 Consider, for example, a flat plate of thickness h submerged

in a liquid whose density is ρf parallel to the free surface .

 The difference between bottom and upward forces is a net

upward force, which is the buoyant force.

𝐹𝐹𝐵𝐵 = 𝐹𝐹𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 − 𝐹𝐹𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡 = 𝜌𝜌𝑓𝑓 𝑔𝑔. 𝑆𝑆 + ℎ . 𝐴𝐴 − 𝜌𝜌𝑓𝑓 𝑔𝑔. 𝑆𝑆. 𝐴𝐴

= 𝜌𝜌𝑓𝑓 𝑔𝑔. ℎ. 𝐴𝐴 = 𝛾𝛾𝑓𝑓 . 𝑉𝑉 A flat plate submerged in a liquid
𝐹𝐹𝐵𝐵 = 𝐹𝐹𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 − 𝐹𝐹𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡 = 𝜌𝜌𝑓𝑓 𝑔𝑔. 𝑆𝑆 + ℎ . 𝐴𝐴 − 𝜌𝜌𝑓𝑓 𝑔𝑔. 𝑆𝑆. 𝐴𝐴 = 𝜌𝜌𝑓𝑓 𝑔𝑔. ℎ. 𝐴𝐴 = 𝛾𝛾𝑓𝑓 . 𝑉𝑉

𝑉𝑉 = 𝐴𝐴. ℎ

For floating bodies, the weight of the entire body

must be equal to the buoyant force, which is the
weight of the fluid whose volume is equal to the
volume of the submerged portion of the floating
body. That is,
𝐹𝐹𝐵𝐵 = 𝑊𝑊

𝜌𝜌𝑓𝑓 𝑔𝑔. 𝑉𝑉𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 = 𝜌𝜌𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 𝑔𝑔. 𝑉𝑉𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡

𝑉𝑉𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 𝜌𝜌𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏
=
𝑉𝑉𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡 𝜌𝜌𝑓𝑓
It follows from the discussions above that a body immersed in a fluid

(1) will remain at rest at any point in the fluid when its density is equal to the density of the
fluid.
(2) will sink to the bottom when its density is greater than the density of the fluid, and
(3) will rise to the surface of the fluid and float when the density of the body is less than the
density of the fluid.

Relationship between solid and fluid densities

EXAMPLE
A crane is used to lower weights into the sea (density = 1025 kg/m3) for an under-water
construction project. Determine the tension in the rope of the crane due to a rectangular
0.4 m* 0.4 m* 3 m concrete block (density = 2300 kg/m3) when it is (a) suspended in
the air and (b) completely immersed in water

Solution
(a) For air, the tension in the rope must be equal to the weight of
the block

𝐹𝐹𝑇𝑇,𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 = 𝑊𝑊 = 𝜌𝜌𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐 . 𝑔𝑔. 𝑉𝑉 = 2300 ∗ 9.81 ∗ 0.4 ∗ 0.4 ∗ 3 = 28900 [𝑁𝑁]

(b) For water, there is the additional force of buoyancy acting upward
𝐹𝐹𝑇𝑇,𝑤𝑤𝑤𝑤𝑤𝑤𝑤𝑤𝑤𝑤 = 𝑊𝑊 − 𝐹𝐹𝐵𝐵 = 𝑊𝑊 − 𝜌𝜌𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓 . 𝑔𝑔. 𝑉𝑉

= 28900 − 1025 ∗ 9.81 ∗ 0.4 ∗ 0.4 ∗ 3 = 16000 [𝑁𝑁]

The can in figure floats in the position shown. What is its weight in N?

𝐹𝐹𝐵𝐵 = 𝑊𝑊
= 𝜌𝜌𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓 . 𝑔𝑔. 𝑉𝑉𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠
𝜋𝜋 2
= 1000 ∗ 9.81 ∗ 𝑑𝑑 ∗ 𝐿𝐿𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠
4
𝜋𝜋
𝐹𝐹𝐵𝐵 = 𝑊𝑊 = 1000 ∗ 9.81 ∗ 0.092 ∗ 0.08 = 4.993 𝑁𝑁
4

22
23