Unit 6

(a) The volume flow rate Q satisfies Q = uh, so 6 = 3u1 , so u1 = 2m/s. The
specific energy
√ E = u2 /(2g) + h = 4/20 + 3 = 3.2m. The Froude number F r =
u
√
gh
= 2/ 30 = 0.365. Since F r < 1, the flow upstream is subcritical.

(b) We apply Bernoulli’s equation along the surface of the water (which is a stream-
line). The equation is
p 1 2
+ u − Ω = constant
ρ 2
where Ω is the body force potential. Since gravity is the only force at play here,
Ω = −gz, where z is the height above the datum level (which here we take to be
upstream bed). However, since on the surface, pressure p is constant (atmospheric
pressure), Bernoulli’s equation reduces to saying u2 /(2g) + z =constant. Hence

u22 u2
+ h2 + d = 1 + h1 = E = 3.2
2g 2g
However, the volume flow rate is also constant throughout the flow, so u2 h2 = Q = 6
also. We use this to substitute for u2 into the above equation, giving
36
+ h2 + 0.4 = 3.2
20h22

which rearranges to
5h32 − 14h22 + 9 = 0

(c) Since h2 = 1 is a solution, we can factorise h2 − 1 from the above equation,

giving (h2 − 1)(5h22 − 9h2 − 9) = 0. So the other possible height is the positive
solution of the quadratic equation 5h22 − 9h2 − 9 = 0, which can be found to be
h2 = 2.52m. We calculate
√ the Froude number for each possible solution: for h2 = 1,
u2 = 6, so F
√ r = 6/ 10 = 1.897 > 1, so supercritical. For h2 = 2.52, u2 = 2.39, so
F r = 2.39/ 25.2 = 0.476 < 1, so subcritical.

(d) If the flow changes criticality from upstream to downstream, then it must be
critical at the crest of the weir. Hence F r = 1 at the crest, so u2w = ghw . But
since uw hw = 6, that gives h3w = 36/10 = 3.6, so hw = 1.53m. We apply Bernoulli’s
equation as before, but now the left hand side of the equation is considered at the

1
crest of the weir:
u2w
+ hw + D = 3.2
2g
36
D = 3.2 − − hw
20h2w
which gives a value of D = 0.90m.

(e) Calculate the left hand side of Bernoulli’s equation with hw = 2 (so uw = 6/2 = 3)
and D = 0.75. We get 9/20 + 2 √ + 0.75 = 3.2 as required, so equation is satisfied.
The Froude number is F r = 3/ 20 = 0.671 < 1, so subcritical. Since the flow
is subcritical upstream and still subcritical at the crest, it must remain subcritical
downstream, hence the h2 = 2.52 solution found in (c) is the correct one here.

2
 Unit 7

(i) For the given streamline ψ the velocity components are given by

a2
 
1 ∂ψ 1
ur = = U 1 − 2 cos( θ)
r ∂θ r 2

a2
 
∂ψ 1
uθ = − = −2U 1 + 2 sin( θ)
∂r r 2

(ii) To confirm this, we need to show that the normal component of velocity along
the boundaries is 0 (so no flow occurs through the boundaries). That is, we must
show u · n = 0 on each boundary. On the cylinder,

u · n = ur (a, θ) = 0

For the plate, we need to show it for both top and bottom. On the top

u · n = uθ (r, 0) = 0

and on the bottom

u · n = −uθ (r, 2π) = 0
so shown for all boundaries.

(iii) As r → ∞ we have ur → U and uθ → 0 at θ = 0 (top of the plate), and

ur → −U and uθ → 0 at θ = 2π (bottom of the plate). So flow is going directly
towards the cylinder just below the plate at large r, and directly away from it just
above the plate at large r. Also when θ = π (directly to the left of the cylinder),
ur = 0 and uθ < 0 so flow is parallel to the cylinder and upwards (per diagram). So
the streamlines can be drawn as

3
(iv) Using the formula for curl in cylindrical polars (and here uz = 0 and no z-
dependence), we get  
1 ∂(ruθ ) ∂ur
∇×u= − ez
r ∂r ∂θ
a2 a2
     
U 1 1 1
= −2 1 − 2 sin( θ) + 1 − 2 sin( θ) ez
r r 2 2 r 2
a2
 
3U 1
=− 1 − 2 sin( θ)ez
2r r 2
so magnitude is as required and direction is into page (as per diagram).

(v) We can apply Bernoulli’s equation along any streamline in the flow. Since the
body force is zero, that is here
1
p + ρu2 = C
2
for some constant C. Now, as a boundary, the cylinder surface is a streamline, and
there u = uθ (a, θ) (see part (ii)), so
1 1
p = C − ρuθ (a, θ)2 = C − 8ρU 2 sin2 ( θ)
2 2
We can now use the formulae for the force on a cylinder (Handbook p40). The
i-component is Z 2π
F·i=− pa cos θ dθ
0
Z 2π
1
=a (8ρU 2 sin2 ( θ) cos θ − C cos θ) dθ
0 2
Using the fact that sin2 ( 21 θ) = 12 (1 − cos θ), this becomes
Z 2π
F·i=a ((4ρU 2 − C) cos θ − 4ρU 2 cos2 θ) dθ
0
Z 2π
2
= 0 − 2ρaU (1 + cos(2θ)) dθ
0

= −4ρaU 2 π

4
and the j-component is given by
Z 2π
F·j=− pa sin θ dθ
0
Z 2π
1
=a (8ρU 2 sin2 ( θ) sin θ − C sin θ) dθ
0 2
Z 2π
=a ((4ρU 2 − C) sin θ − 4ρU 2 sin θ cos θ) dθ = 0
0
So the magnitude is as required, and the direction of the force is in the −i direction
(to the left as per diagram).

5
 Unit 8

(i)(a) Assumption 1: The planes have infinite extent in the y-direction and there is
no external force or pressure differential on the fluid in the y-direction, so the flow
cannot depend on y.
Assumption 2: The only movement of the planes is in the x-direction and as the
planes are of infinite extent, that is the only thing affecting the fluid. So it is rea-
sonable to assume it too moves in the x-direction only.

(b) In general u = u(x, y, z, t). However, assumption 1 above eliminates y from

u, and assumption 2 means the only non-zero component of u is the i component,
that is u = u1 (x, z, t)i. We are also told the flow is steady, which eliminates t, so
u = u1 (x, z)i. We can now apply the continuity equation, that is ∇ · u = 0. In this
case that gives ∂u
∂x
1
= 0, eliminating x from u. So we are left with u = u1 (z)i. The
boundary conditions are u1 (0) = U and u1 (H) = 0.

(c) The general form of the Navier-Stokes equations is

 
∂u
ρ + (u · ∇)u = −∇p + ρF + µ∇2 u
∂t

Now in our case, u = u1 (z)i, so that means ∂u

∂t
= 0 and also (u · ∇)u = u1 ∂u
∂x
1
i = 0.
We are also given that F = 0 leaving us with

0 = −∇p + µ∇2 u1 i

which, broken down into components, gives the equations

∂p d2 u 1 ∂p ∂p
0=− +µ 2 , 0=− , 0=−
∂x dz ∂y ∂z
The last two equations mean p = p(x) and since the first equation has that a function
of x equals a function of z, both must be constant. So, as per the question, denote
dp/dx by −C and we get
d2 u1
µ 2 +C =0
dz
6
which has solution
C 2
u1 (z) = − z + Az + B
2µ
CH U
Putting in the boundary conditions gives that B = U and A = 2µ
− H
, so the
solution is  
C 2 CH U
u1 (z) = − z + − z+U
2µ 2µ H

(d) The volume flow rate Q is given by the formula

Z H
Q= u1 (z) dz
0
Z H   
C 2 CH U
Q= − z + − z + U dz
0 2µ 2µ H
   H
C 3 CH U 2
= − z + − z + Uz
6µ 4µ 2H 0

CH 3 CH 3 U H
=− + − + UH
6µ 4µ 2
CH 3 U H
= +
12µ 2

(ii)(a) This set-up is very similar to that of the slider bearing in the book (essentially
just turned around), and crucially H << L, so the equation applies. That is,

dp ∂ 2 u1
=µ 2
dx ∂z
with boundary conditions u1 (x, 0) = U and u1 (x, h(x)) = 0 where h(x) is the upper
surface, so h(x) = (− tan α)x + L tan α + H.

(b) As mentioned, this is equivalent to the slider bearing but turned around (so
replace U with −U ). So the formula on p196 of Unit 8 applies with this change,
that is  Z L  Z L
U dx dx
Q= 2 3
2 0 (h(x)) 0 (h(x))

7
The solution to this is the same as that for Ex. 4.1 on p197 so the answer is
h1 h2
Q= U
h1 + h2
where here h1 = H + L tan α and h2 = H, so we get the answer

U H(H + L tan α)
Q=
2H + L tan α
as required.

8
 Unit 9

(a) To check hyperbolic require that B 2 − 4AC > 0 where, in this case A = x,
B = 3x3 and C = −18x5 . So here B 2 − 4AC = 81x6 which is positive for all x ̸= 0.

(b) The characteristic equation is As2 − Bs + C = 0. In this case that gives xs2 −
3x3 s−18x5 = 0. If we cancel an x and factorise, this becomes (s+3x2 )(s−6x2 ) = 0,
so we have solutions s = −3x2 and s = 6x2 .

We then set s = dy/dx and integrate: dy/dx = −3x2 gives y = −x3 + c and
dy/dx = 6x2 gives y = 2x3 + d. The constants are then set to be the characteristic
coordinates, so ζ = y + x3 and ϕ = y − 2x3 .

(c) We have that ∂ζ/∂x = 3x2 , ∂ζ/∂y = 1, ∂ϕ/∂x = −6x2 , ∂ϕ/∂y = 1. So,
using the chain rule, we obtain:
∂u ∂u ∂u
= 3x2 − 6x2
∂x ∂ζ ∂ϕ
∂u ∂u ∂u
= +
∂y ∂ζ ∂ϕ
∂ 2u 2
4∂ u
2
4 ∂ u
2
4∂ u ∂u ∂u
2
= 9x 2
− 36x + 36x 2
+ 6x − 12x
∂x ∂ζ ∂ζ∂ϕ ∂ϕ ∂ζ ∂ϕ
∂ 2u ∂ 2u ∂ 2u ∂ 2u
= 3x2 2 − 3x2 − 6x2 2
∂x∂y ∂ζ ∂ζ∂ϕ ∂ϕ
∂ 2u ∂ 2u ∂ 2u ∂ 2u
= + 2 +
∂y 2 ∂ζ 2 ∂ζ∂ϕ ∂ϕ2
Plug these into the original equation and you find it simplifies to

∂ 2u
−81x5 =0
∂ζ∂ϕ

and we can cancel the −81x5 as x ̸= 0. The general solution for this equation is
u(ζ, ϕ) = f (ζ) + g(ϕ) for some arbitrary functions f and g, so this gives

u(x, y) = f (y + x3 ) + g(y − 2x3 )

9
 (d) We have that ∂u/∂y = f ′ (y + x3 ) + g ′ (y − 2x3 ) where ’ refers to the derivative
with respect to the whole argument of f or g (since both arguments differentiate to
1 with respect to y). So applying the conditions:

u(x, 0) = f (x3 ) + g(−2x3 ) = x6

∂u
(x, 0) = f ′ (x3 ) + g ′ (−2x3 ) = 0
∂y
If we differentiate the first condition with respect to x we get

3x2 f ′ (x3 ) − 6x2 g ′ (−2x3 ) = 6x5

or, simplifying,
f ′ (x3 ) − 2g ′ (−2x3 ) = 2x3
Combining this with the other condition we get f ′ (x3 ) = 23 x3 and so for a general
argument s, f ′ (s) = 23 s, giving

1
f (s) = s2 + c
3
If we plug that back into the first condition we get g(−2x3 ) = x6 − 13 x6 − c = 23 x6 − c,
so again for a general argument t we have that
1
g(t) = t2 − c
6
And so by using the answer to part (c), with s and t as the correct arguments given
there, we get
1 1
u(x, y) = (y + x3 )2 + (y − 2x3 )2
3 6
This simplifies to
1
u(x, y) = y 2 + x6
2

10
 (a)(i) In this case, by the equation, we have wave speed c = 16 , so at x = 1,
d’Alembert’s solution gives
Z 1+t/6
1
u(1, t) = (6 sin(π(1 − t/6)) + 6 sin(π(1 + t/6))) + 3 π cos(πs) ds
2 1−t/6

1+t/6
= 3 sin(π(1 − t/6)) + 3 sin(π(1 + t/6)) + 3[sin(πs)]1−t/6
= 6 sin(π(1 + t/6)) = −6 sin(πt/6)
This solution is valid provided both x − ct ≥ 0 and x + ct ≤ 3. With x = 1 and
c = 61 that gives t ≤ 6 and t ≤ 12. The more restrictive is the first, so the solution
is valid for 0 ≤ t ≤ 6.

(ii) The standard form of solution is A sin(k(x ± ct)), so here k = π. The wavelength
λ is given by λ = 2π/k, so here λ = 2, and the frequency f is given by c/λ, so here
1
f = 12 . The nodes of the standing wave are the values of x where u = 0 for any t,
which here are when sin(πx) = 0. So in the range of 0 < x < 3, that is x = 1 and
x = 2.

11