ENGG1350 Thermofluid Mechanics

3. Hydrostatic force on plane and

curved surfaces

1
• Why is it hard to open the door of a sinking car?

Daily Mail
2
 • Why is it difficult to open a
jar that is vacuum sealed?
• Do you know any tricks for
opening it?

dreamstime.com 3
• How thick should a floodwall be built for resisting the forces
acting on the wall?

Flood Control International 4

• How to calculate the forces acting on curved surfaces by water?

Source: oceanpark.com.hk Ocean Park Hong Kong

5
Study objectives for topic #3

• Calculation of the force acting on a plane surface by pressurized gas

• Calculation of the force exerted by static fluid on a horizontal plane
• Calculation of the resultant force acting on a rectangular wall by a
static liquid
• Definition of the center of pressure
• Drawing the vector representing the resultant force on a submerged
plane surface in its proper location and direction
• Understanding the distribution of force on a submerged curved
surface
• Calculation of the total resultant force and the center of pressure on
the curved surface

6
Hydrostatic force from uniform pressure
𝐹𝐹
• 𝑝𝑝 =  𝑭𝑭 = 𝒑𝒑𝒑𝒑
𝐴𝐴
• When the pressure is uniform over the entire area
of interest, it can be computed as
𝐹𝐹 = 𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝
• This equation may also be applied when the
variation in pressure distribution can be neglected
(e.g., gases)

7
tpu-material.com
Hydrostatic force on horizontal flat surfaces
• Problem:
• Find the force acting on the
bottom of the cylinder
container (the top is open to
atmosphere)
• 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 = 0.9
• 𝛾𝛾𝑤𝑤 = 9.81 kN/m3

• Plan of attack
1. Find the pressure 𝑝𝑝 at the
bottom
2. Find 𝐹𝐹 using 𝐹𝐹 = 𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝

8
Hydrostatic force on horizontal flat surfaces
• Solution:
• 𝑝𝑝 = 𝛾𝛾𝑤𝑤 ∗ 1.5 m + 𝛾𝛾𝑜𝑜 ∗ 2.4 m +
𝑝𝑝𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎
• 𝑝𝑝 = 9.81 ∗ 1.5 kPa + 8.83 ∗
2.4 kPa + 0 kPa gage =
35.9 kPa (gage)
• 𝐴𝐴 = 𝜋𝜋𝑟𝑟 2 = 𝜋𝜋 ∗ 1.5m ∗ 1.5m =
7.07 m2
• 𝐹𝐹 = 𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝 = 253.8 kN

• Note:
• The atmospheric pressure should
be taken into account in
calculation; gage pressure is
commonly used
9
Hydrostatic force on horizontal flat surfaces
• Would there be any difference between the forces on the
bottom of the two drums?

10
10
Hydrostatic force on horizontal flat surfaces
• The forces are the same
• The pressure at the bottom is dependent only on the depths and
specific weights of the fluids in the container
• The bottom areas are the same

11
Force exerted by pressurized gases
• The distribution of pressure within a gas is nearly uniform
• 𝐹𝐹 = 𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝 can be used to derive 𝐹𝐹

12
 Hydrostatic force on vertical rectangular walls
• The actual force is distributed over the entire wall. It is however
common to determine the resultant force (𝑭𝑭𝑹𝑹 ) and the place
where it acts, which is called the center of pressure (CP); the line
perpendicular to the surface at CP is called the line of action
• When an object is subjected to several forces, the 𝑭𝑭𝑹𝑹 is the force
that alone produces the same effect as all those forces

A B

Line of action 𝒑𝒑
𝑭𝑭𝑹𝑹 center of pressure

13
 Pressure distribution and moment
• A description of the pressure at all points along a surface is called a pressure distribution
• Moment (M) = Force (F) x Distance of the force from the point (d)
• In a right-handed system, positive moments are counterclockwise; negative moments are
clockwise
• The 𝐹𝐹𝑅𝑅 at CP produces the same moment as the original pressure distribution about any
point

pressure
distribution

Moment
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 Centroid
• The centroid is the average position of all the
points of an object
• When we cut a plane shape from a piece of card,
we can balance it on its centroid

15
Source: mathsisfun.com
 Centroid

• Centroid of simple areas can be found using look-up tables

• Centroid of more complex areas (irregular) can be found
using Centroid Formula (NOT covered in this lecture)

A centroid of a triangle is the The centroid of a

point where the three The centroid of a circle is rectangle is the center of
medians of the triangle meet the center of the circle the rectangle
Source: brilliant.org Source: slideshare.net Source: slideshare.net
16
Centroid

17
Source: SlidePlayer
Centroid and center of pressure
• If 𝑝𝑝 is uniformly distributed over a surface of area 𝐴𝐴 (i.e., the
cases for hydrostatic force on horizontal flat surfaces)
𝐹𝐹𝑅𝑅 = 𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝; CP is at the centroid of the area
• If 𝑝𝑝 is NOT uniformly distributed over a surface; CP is NOT at
the centroid of the area

Centroid & CP Centroid

CP

CP at the centroid Source: utexas.edu CP not at the centroid18

Hydrostatic force on vertical rectangular walls
• When 𝑝𝑝 is changing over the surface 𝐴𝐴
• 𝐹𝐹𝑅𝑅 = 𝑝𝑝𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝐴𝐴, where 𝑝𝑝𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 is the average pressure
• For water retaining walls, 𝑝𝑝 changes linearly with depth
(starts from 0 at water surface)
• 𝑝𝑝 = 𝛾𝛾ℎ  𝑝𝑝𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 = 𝛾𝛾(ℎ/2)  𝐹𝐹𝑅𝑅 = 𝛾𝛾(ℎ/2)𝐴𝐴

𝒑𝒑
center of pressure

19
Hydrostatic force on any arbitrary inclined plane surface
• What is the force 𝐹𝐹𝑅𝑅 on the rectangular window?
• Inclined
• Pressure exerted on the top of the window does not equal zero

20
Hydrostatic force on any arbitrary inclined plane surface

• Problem:
• Find the resultant force on the
rectangular inclined window

ℎ2 • Plan of attack
1. Draw the distribution of the
pressure
ℎ1 2. Find 𝑝𝑝𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎
3. Find 𝐹𝐹 using 𝐹𝐹 = 𝑝𝑝𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝐴𝐴

21
Hydrostatic force on any arbitrary inclined plane surface

• Solution:
• 𝑝𝑝𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡 = 𝛾𝛾ℎ2
• 𝑝𝑝𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 = 𝛾𝛾(ℎ2 + ℎ1 )
𝑝𝑝𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡 +𝑝𝑝𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏
ℎ2 • 𝑝𝑝𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 =
2
𝛾𝛾ℎ2 +𝛾𝛾(ℎ2 +ℎ1 )
• 𝐹𝐹𝑟𝑟 = 𝐴𝐴 =
2
ℎ1
𝛾𝛾 ℎ2 +
2
A
ℎ1

22
 Hydrostatic force on any arbitrary inclined plane surface

• For an area of arbitrary

shape that is completely
submerged, 𝐹𝐹𝑅𝑅 equals to
the pressure at the
centroid of shape , 𝑝𝑝̅ ,
times the area, 𝐴𝐴
𝐹𝐹𝑅𝑅 = 𝑝𝑝̅ 𝐴𝐴

23
Hydrostatic force on any arbitrary inclined plane surface
• 𝐹𝐹𝑅𝑅 can be obtained by summing the small forces (𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑) acting on the small segments of
the area (𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑) over the entire area:

𝐹𝐹𝑅𝑅 = � 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
𝐴𝐴

∑𝐴𝐴 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 be simplified using two key equations: 𝑭𝑭 = 𝒑𝒑𝒑𝒑 and 𝒑𝒑 = 𝜸𝜸𝒉𝒉 (𝐹𝐹 links to 𝑝𝑝, and 𝑝𝑝
links to the depth ℎ; summing 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 is related to summing the ℎ of all small areas 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑) 
𝐹𝐹𝑅𝑅 = 𝑝𝑝̅ 𝐴𝐴 (details of the mathematical proof are not covered in this lecture)

Source: nptel.ac.in 24
Hydrostatic force on any arbitrary inclined plane surface
• Procedure of computing the
force on a submerged plane
area (arbitrary shape)
1. Find the angle of inclination,
𝐹𝐹𝑅𝑅 𝛼𝛼, that is, the angle at which
the area of interest intersects
the free surface
2. Find the geometric centroid
of the area
3. Find the total area 𝐴𝐴
4. Find 𝑦𝑦�, the inclined distance
between centroid and the
free surface
5. Calculate the corresponding
vertical distance 𝑦𝑦𝑐𝑐 = 𝑦𝑦�sin𝛼𝛼
6. 𝐹𝐹𝑅𝑅 = γ × 𝑦𝑦�sinα × A (𝐹𝐹 =
𝑝𝑝̅ 𝐴𝐴)
25
Hydrostatic force on any arbitrary inclined plane surface

Problem:
• The tank in the right
figure is 2 m wide into
the page. Find the
resultant hydrostatic
force on panel BC

Source: Fluid Mechanics, 5th Edition by

Frank M. White
26
Hydrostatic force on any arbitrary inclined plane surface

Plan of attack:
• Find 𝐴𝐴
• Find the depth of the
centroid and then find 𝑝𝑝̅
using 𝑝𝑝 = 𝛾𝛾ℎ
• Calculate 𝐹𝐹𝑅𝑅 using 𝐹𝐹𝑅𝑅 = 𝑝𝑝̅ 𝐴𝐴

Solution:
• The length of BC is 5 m,
then 𝐴𝐴 = 5 m ∗ 2 m =
10 m2
Source: Fluid Mechanics, 5th Edition by
Frank M. White
27
Hydrostatic force on any arbitrary inclined plane
surface
Solution (Cont.):
• The centroid of BC (a
rectangular of 2 m wide into
the page) is at the center, 3m
the depth ℎ = 1.5 m +
3 m = 4.5 m
• 𝑝𝑝̅ = 𝛾𝛾ℎ = 9.81 ∗ 4.5 = 1.5 m
44.15 kPa
Centroid
• 𝐹𝐹𝑅𝑅 = 𝑝𝑝̅ 𝐴𝐴 = 44.15 kPa ∗
10 m2 = 441.5 kN

Source: Fluid Mechanics, 5th Edition by

Frank M. White
28
Hydrostatic force on any arbitrary inclined plane surface
• The 𝐹𝐹𝑅𝑅 at CP produces the same
moment as the original
pressure distribution
• Find the y-coordinate of CP, 𝑦𝑦𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐
x
• The differential force on 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑: y
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
• Moment about (point O) at
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑: 𝑦𝑦 ∗ 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
• The total moment about x-
axis: ∑𝐴𝐴(𝑦𝑦 ∗ 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑) = 𝑦𝑦𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐 𝐹𝐹𝑅𝑅
• Solving the equation above:
𝐼𝐼𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥,𝑐𝑐
𝑦𝑦𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐 = 𝑦𝑦� + (proofs are not
𝑦𝑦�𝐴𝐴
covered in this lecture)
29
Hydrostatic force on any arbitrary inclined plane surface

• Two key equations to remember (under free

surface condition):
1. 𝐹𝐹𝑅𝑅 = 𝑝𝑝̅ 𝐴𝐴 (where 𝑝𝑝̅ = 𝛾𝛾𝑦𝑦�𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠)
𝐼𝐼𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥,𝑐𝑐
2. 𝑦𝑦𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐 = 𝑦𝑦� + 𝑦𝑦�𝐴𝐴
(the y-coordinate of CP; note: 𝑦𝑦𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐
is lower than 𝑦𝑦�)

30
• What is Second Moment of Area?
• The Second Moment of Area with respect to the x-axis,
𝐼𝐼𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥 , is to adding up the square of the y-coordinate of the
small segments multiply by the area of the small segments
over the entire area: 𝐼𝐼𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥 = ∑𝐴𝐴 𝑦𝑦𝑖𝑖2 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑

d𝐴𝐴 (area of the small segment)

d𝐴𝐴

𝑥𝑥 = 0 𝑥𝑥 = 0

31
Look up tables for the second moment of area

Second moment of area about the centroidal axis; centroid are

shown using the “+” symbol 32
Hydrostatic force on any arbitrary inclined plane surface

• Problem:
• Determine the force 𝐹𝐹
required to open the
elliptical gate of size
5m*4m (i.e., 𝑎𝑎 = 2.5 m,
𝑏𝑏 = 2 m)
• 𝐴𝐴 = 𝜋𝜋𝜋𝜋𝜋𝜋
𝜋𝜋𝑎𝑎3 𝑏𝑏
• 𝐼𝐼𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥,𝑐𝑐 =
4

33
Hydrostatic force on any arbitrary inclined plane surface

• Solution:
• The resultant force due to
water pressure 𝐹𝐹𝑟𝑟 = 𝑝𝑝̅ 𝐴𝐴 =
(9.81 ∗ 10) ∗ 𝜋𝜋 ∗ 2.5 ∗ 2 =
1540.17 kPa
• 𝑦𝑦� = 12.5 m; 𝑦𝑦𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐 = 𝑦𝑦� +
𝐼𝐼𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥,𝑐𝑐
= 12.5 + 0.125 =
𝑦𝑦�𝐴𝐴
12.625 m (or 0.125 m away
from the centroid, and is
lower then the centroid)

34
Hydrostatic force on any arbitrary inclined plane surface

• The moment of hydrostatic

force about the hinge:
M=
𝐹𝐹𝑟𝑟 ∗ 12.625 m − 10 m =
𝐹𝐹𝑟𝑟 4043 kN ∙ m
• From the principle of moment
equilibrium, the moments
produced by 𝐹𝐹𝑟𝑟 and 𝐹𝐹 are the
M
same  𝐹𝐹 = 5m
= 809 kN

35
Hydrostatic force on any arbitrary inclined plane surface
• Calculation for pressurized tanks,
the piezometric head method
• ℎ𝑎𝑎 = 𝑝𝑝𝑎𝑎 /𝛾𝛾
• Piezometric head (also called
equivalent depth):
ℎ𝑐𝑐𝑒𝑒 = ℎ𝑐𝑐 + ℎ𝑎𝑎 ℎ𝑎𝑎

𝑃𝑃𝑎𝑎

36
 Dikes and dams for flood protections
The mobile-bearing walls for Flooding in Austria

Source:
ingeniatte.es

37
Dikes and dams for flood protections
• YouTube video: Dutch War Against The Sea: The Afsluitdijk -
Longest Dam In Europe, by Avery Thing
• https://youtu.be/OdVEVP9mRRU

Maeslantkering
Source:
earthmagazine.org
38
 Hydrostatic forces on curved surfaces
• For planar surface: 𝐹𝐹𝑅𝑅 = ∑𝐴𝐴 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
• Calculus can be used to derive the general equation, because 𝛼𝛼 is constant and
pressure changes linearly on the planar surface
• For curved surface: 𝐹𝐹𝑅𝑅 = ∑𝐴𝐴 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
• 𝛼𝛼 is not a constant, the pressure does not change linearly, and 𝛼𝛼 varies on
different parts of the surface ; it is not possible to find a general equation for all
the curved surfaces

constant 𝛼𝛼 varying 𝛼𝛼

39
 Hydrostatic forces on curved surfaces
• The resultant force 𝐹𝐹𝑅𝑅 acting on the curved surface may be
found indirectly by analyzing the free body diagram (FBD)
of liquid using:
• Equilibrium of forces: there is no net force acting on the object
• Equilibrium of moments: for a body in equilibrium, the resultant
moment of the forces on the body about all points must be zero

Source: SlidePlayer.com
40
 Hydrostatic forces on curved surfaces
• Draw an FBD for analyzing the forces on a small segment of
the surface:
• Step 1: Specify the small surface of interest
• Step 2: Isolate a body of fluid by creating planar surfaces

41
Hydrostatic forces on curved surfaces
• Step 3: Draw the FBD of the fluid
• Step 4: Using Newton’s 3rd Law, we have 𝐹𝐹𝑁𝑁 = 𝐹𝐹𝑅𝑅 ; break 𝐹𝐹𝑁𝑁 to 𝐹𝐹𝐻𝐻 and 𝐹𝐹𝑉𝑉

• Step 5: Find 𝐹𝐹𝑁𝑁 using Equilibrium of forces: ∑ 𝐹𝐹⃗ = 0, i.e., ∑ 𝐹𝐹𝑥𝑥 = 𝐹𝐹2 − 𝐹𝐹𝐻𝐻 =
0  𝐹𝐹𝐻𝐻 = 𝐹𝐹2 = 𝛾𝛾ℎ�𝐴𝐴left = 𝛾𝛾(𝑑𝑑 + ℎ𝑠𝑠 /2)(𝑤𝑤𝑠𝑠 ℎ𝑠𝑠 )

𝐹𝐹1 Distance to
free surface d

𝐹𝐹2 𝐹𝐹𝐻𝐻
𝑊𝑊
𝐹𝐹𝑁𝑁
𝐹𝐹𝑉𝑉
Note: 𝐹𝐹𝑉𝑉 and 𝐹𝐹𝐻𝐻 are component of 𝐹𝐹𝑁𝑁 on the
Reference 3d view
vertical and the horizontal direction 42
Hydrostatic forces on curved surfaces
• Step 5 (Cont.): ∑ 𝐹𝐹y = 0 = 𝐹𝐹𝑉𝑉 − 𝐹𝐹1 − 𝑊𝑊  𝐹𝐹𝑉𝑉 = 𝐹𝐹1 + 𝑊𝑊; 𝐹𝐹1 = 𝛾𝛾𝛾𝛾(𝑤𝑤𝑠𝑠 𝑙𝑙𝑠𝑠 )
and 𝑊𝑊 = 𝛾𝛾𝑉𝑉𝑓𝑓
Distance to free
• 𝑭𝑭𝑹𝑹 = 𝑭𝑭𝑵𝑵 = 𝑭𝑭𝟐𝟐𝑯𝑯 + 𝑭𝑭𝟐𝟐𝑽𝑽 ; surface d

• 𝜶𝜶 = 𝐭𝐭𝐭𝐭𝐭𝐭−𝟏𝟏 (𝑭𝑭𝑽𝑽 /𝑭𝑭𝑯𝑯 )

𝐹𝐹1

Reference 3d view
𝐹𝐹2 𝐹𝐹𝐻𝐻
𝑊𝑊
𝐹𝐹𝑁𝑁 𝐹𝐹𝑁𝑁 𝐹𝐹𝑉𝑉
𝐹𝐹𝑉𝑉 𝜶𝜶
𝐹𝐹𝐻𝐻
43
Hydrostatic forces on curved surfaces
• Step 6: determining the CP; the moments about point A is 0 (using the Equilibrium of
Moments)

• On horizontal direction, 𝐹𝐹𝐻𝐻 and 𝐹𝐹2 have the same line of action, so, 𝑦𝑦𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐 = 𝑦𝑦� +
𝐼𝐼𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥,𝑐𝑐
�𝐴𝐴
, where 𝑦𝑦� = 𝑑𝑑 + ℎ𝑠𝑠 /2 and 𝐴𝐴 = 𝑤𝑤𝑠𝑠 ℎ𝑠𝑠
𝑦𝑦

• On vertical direction, the moment arm of 𝐹𝐹1 is 𝑙𝑙𝑠𝑠 /2; the moment arm of 𝑊𝑊 is
determined by the centroid of the body; find 𝑥𝑥𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐 using 𝑥𝑥𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐 𝐹𝐹𝑣𝑣 = 𝐹𝐹1 × 𝑙𝑙𝑠𝑠 /2 +
𝑊𝑊 × 4𝑙𝑙𝑠𝑠 /3𝜋𝜋

x
𝐹𝐹1 Distance to free
y surface d

𝐹𝐹2 𝐹𝐹𝐻𝐻
𝑊𝑊

𝐹𝐹𝑁𝑁
𝐹𝐹𝑉𝑉 A
A Reference 3d view
44
Hydrostatic forces on curved surfaces

𝑑𝑑 = 4m
𝑟𝑟 = 2m

𝑤𝑤 = 1m
Reference 3d view
• Problem:
x • Determine the resultant force 𝐹𝐹𝑅𝑅 on
the curved surface (a circular arc),
y where 𝑟𝑟 = 2 m, 𝑤𝑤 = 1 m, 𝑑𝑑 = 4 m
• Find the line of action of 𝐹𝐹𝑅𝑅
• 𝐼𝐼𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥,𝑐𝑐 = 𝑟𝑟 3 𝑤𝑤/12
• 𝑥𝑥̅ = 4𝑟𝑟/3𝜋𝜋
Note: 𝐹𝐹𝑉𝑉 and 𝐹𝐹𝐻𝐻 are forces exerted by water in the
vertical and horizontal directions, respectively 45
Hydrostatic forces on curved surfaces
• Solution:
• Draw the free body diagram
(FBD), and analyze the forces
on the liquid
• Equilibrium in the horizontal
direction: 𝐹𝐹𝑥𝑥 = 𝐹𝐹𝐻𝐻 = 𝑝𝑝̅ 𝐴𝐴 =
(5m)(9.81kN/m3 )(2m ×
1m) = 98.1 kN
• Equilibrium in the vertical
direction:
x
• 𝐹𝐹𝑉𝑉 = 𝑝𝑝̅𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵 ∗ 𝐴𝐴 =
y
(4m)(9.81kN/m3 )(2m ×
1m) = 78.5 kN;
𝜋𝜋𝑟𝑟 2 𝑤𝑤
• 𝑊𝑊 = 𝛾𝛾𝛾𝛾 = 𝛾𝛾 = 30.8 kN
4

46
Hydrostatic forces on curved surfaces
• Solution (Cont.):
• 𝐹𝐹𝑦𝑦 = 𝐹𝐹𝑉𝑉 + 𝑊𝑊 = 109.3 kN
• Using the two equations
𝐹𝐹𝑅𝑅 = 𝐹𝐹𝐻𝐻2 + 𝐹𝐹𝑉𝑉2 = 146.9 kN;
𝐹𝐹𝑉𝑉
𝛼𝛼 = tan−1 = 48°
𝐹𝐹𝐻𝐻

• y-coordinate of CP: 𝑦𝑦𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐 = 𝑦𝑦� +

𝐼𝐼𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥,𝑐𝑐 1∗23 /12
=5+ m = 5.067m
𝑦𝑦�𝐴𝐴 5∗(2∗1)
x
y • x-coordinate of CP (vertical
force): 𝑥𝑥𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐 𝐹𝐹𝑦𝑦 = 𝐹𝐹𝑉𝑉 × 1𝑚𝑚 +
4𝑟𝑟
𝑊𝑊 × 𝑥𝑥̅ , where 𝑥𝑥̅ = =
3𝜋𝜋
0.849  𝑥𝑥𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐 = 0.957 m

47
Hydrostatic forces on curved surfaces
• Solution (Cont.):

The line of action

CP

x
y

48
 Hydrostatic forces on curved surfaces
• The key idea is to find the force
Gas of interest using FBD, the
Equilibrium of Forces, and the
Equilibrium of Moments

• Case 1: calculate the forces

acting on the surface of the
bottom half of the sphere that
is caused by pressurized gas
• Draw the FBD for the air
inside the dashed lines
• 𝐹𝐹 = 𝑝𝑝𝑖𝑖 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 + 𝑊𝑊
• Because 𝑊𝑊 can be neglected,
𝐹𝐹 = 𝑝𝑝𝑖𝑖 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴

49
Hydrostatic forces on curved surfaces

• Case 2: calculate the forces acting

on the curved surface submerged
in a reservoir
• Draw the FBD for the water
inside the dashed lines
• The force acting on AD equals to
the force acting on BC (horizontal
forces)
• 𝐹𝐹 = 𝑊𝑊 = 𝛾𝛾𝑉𝑉𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴

50
Hydrostatic forces on curved surfaces

• Case 3: calculate the forces

acting on curved surface
with liquid below
• The pressure exerted on
the curved surface equals
to the pressure caused by
water of 𝑉𝑉𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 (the
imaginary volume inside
dashed lines)
• 𝐹𝐹 = 𝑊𝑊 = 𝛾𝛾𝑉𝑉𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎

51
Software for calculating hydrostatic forces
• It can be difficult to calculate the hydrostatic forces
when the surface is not smooth or of uncommon
shape, software tools can be used, e.g.,:
• Simulation Mechanical, and Nastran In-CAD by Autodesk
• Maat Hydro + by Sistre
• DELFTship by Marine Software

Autodesk forums
52
Exercises
1. A pressure relief valve is
designed so that the gas
pressure in the tank acts on
a piston with a diameter of
45 mm. How much spring
force must be applied to the
outside of the piston to hold
the valve closed under a
pressure of 3.50 Mpa? [5.57
kN]
2. Calculate the total force on
the bottom of the tank in
the right figure. [569 kN]
53
 Exercises
3. If the wall in the top-right figure is 4
m long, calculate the total force on
the wall due to the oil pressure.
Draw the distribution of pressure.
Also determine the location of the
center of pressure and show the
resultant force on the wall. [46.8 kN,
1.32 m]
4. Compute the magnitude of the
resultant force on the circle that is
submerged in orange drink (the
right-bottom figure). The top surface
of the orange drink is in contact with
atmosphere. Find CP, and show the
resultant force and CP on the figure.
[146.5 kN, 3.568 m]

54
 Exercises
5. Compute the magnitudes of the
horizontal and vertical components of
the force exerted by the fluid on the
curved surface (right figure). Then
compute the magnitude of the
resultant force and its direction. Find
the line of action. The surface of
interest is a portion of a cylinder with
a length of 1.50 m into the page.
(hint: using an imaginary volume,
then find the CP for this volume, and
then determine the line of action for
𝐹𝐹𝑟𝑟 ; find the equations for the second
moment of area and the centroid of
the imaginary water volume in the
previous slides.) [FV: 66.1 kN, FH: 60.0
kN, FR: 89.3 kN, 47.8˚, xcp: 0.577 m,
ycp: 3.435 m]
55
References

• Images on slide 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 19, 20, 36, 39, 46, 47, 52; and
exercise questions are from Applied fluid mechanics (Global Edition)
7th edition (ISBN 9781292073125)
• Images on slide 14, 21, 22, 23, 25, 29, 32, 33, 34, 35, 41, 42, 43, 44,
45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50 are from Engineering Fluid Mechanics 9th
Edition (ISBN 9780470259771)
• Source of the images on other slides is given where they are used

56