The document discusses how to calculate the forces acting on submerged plane surfaces, such as those on ships and dams. It explains that the total force is found by integrating the pressure over the entire surface area. The force is equal to the pressure at the centroid of the area multiplied by the total area. While the force acts through the centroid, it does not necessarily act at the centroid point. The location where the force actually acts, called the center of pressure, can be calculated using moments of the area and pressure distributions.
The document discusses how to calculate the forces acting on submerged plane surfaces, such as those on ships and dams. It explains that the total force is found by integrating the pressure over the entire surface area. The force is equal to the pressure at the centroid of the area multiplied by the total area. While the force acts through the centroid, it does not necessarily act at the centroid point. The location where the force actually acts, called the center of pressure, can be calculated using moments of the area and pressure distributions.
In the design of submerged devices and objects, such as dams,
flow barriers, ships, and holding tanks, it is necessary to calculate the magnitudes and locations of forces that act on their surfaces, both plane and curved. Here, we consider only plane surfaces, such as the plane surface of general shape shown in the Fig. Note that a side view is given as well as a view showing the shape of the plane. 1
Forces on Submerged Planes
The total force of the liquid on the plane surface is found by integrating the pressure over the area, that is, The x and y coordinates are in the plane of the plane surface, as shown. Assuming p = 0 at h = 0, we know that
where h is measured vertically
down from the free surface to the elemental area dA and y is measured from point 0 on the free surface. 2
Forces on Submerged Planes
The force may then be expressed as
The distance to a centroid is defined as
The expression for the
force then becomes
Forces on Submerged Planes
Where is the vertical
distance from the free surface to the centroid of the area and pc is the pressure at the centroid.
Thus the magnitude of the force on a submerged plane surface
is the pressure at the centroid multiplied by the area. The force does not depend on the angle of inclination, a.
Forces on Submerged Planes
The force does not, in general, act at the centroid. The location of the resultant force is found by taking the sum of the moments of all the infinitesimal pressure forces acting on the area equal to the moment of the resultant force. Let the force F act at the point (xp,yp), the center of pressure (c.p.). 5
Forces on Submerged Planes
The value of yp can be obtained by equating moments about the xaxis:
where the second moment of the area about the x-axis is