CE 362: Engineering Hydraulics

Dimensional Analysis and Similarity

Saumyen Guha
 Dimension and Unit
qWhat is dimension ?
ü Dimension is a measure of a physical quantity without numerical value
ü Example: mass (M), length (L), angle (θ), time (T), temperature (Θ), heat
(H), charge (Q), luminous flux (lm)
qWhat is unit ?
ü Unit is a way to assign a number to the dimension.
ü Example (SI units of the dimensions listed above): kilogram, meter,
radian, second, kelvin, joule, coulomb, lumen
q Homework: derive secondary dimensions of force, dynamic
viscosity, kinematic viscosity, specific heat, specific weight,
work/energy, moment, stress, strain rate, thermal conductivity,
thermal expansion coefficient
 Dimensional Analysis: What and Why?
´ Law of dimensional homogeneity:
ü Every additive term in an equation must have the same dimensions
" "
𝜕𝑉 𝑑𝑝 𝜕𝑉 𝑑𝑝 1 "
𝑑𝑠 + + 𝑉 𝑑𝑉 + 𝑔 𝑑𝑧 = 0 . 𝑑𝑠 + . + 𝑉" − 𝑉!" + 𝑔 𝑧" − 𝑧! = 0
𝜕𝑡 𝜌 𝜕𝑡 𝜌 2
! !
𝜕𝜌
+ ∇ 3 𝜌𝑉 = 0
𝜕𝑡
𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑣 𝜕𝑤 1 𝜕 𝑟𝑉# 1 𝜕𝑉$ 𝜕𝑉%
+ + =0 + + =0
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑧 𝑟 𝜕𝑟 𝑟 𝜕𝜃 𝜕𝑧
𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑝 𝜕"𝑢 𝜕"𝑢 𝜕"𝑢
𝜌 +𝑢 +𝑣 +𝑤 = 𝜌𝑔& − +𝜇 + +
𝜕𝑡 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑧 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑥 " 𝜕𝑦 " 𝜕𝑧 "
𝜕𝑣 𝜕𝑣 𝜕𝑣 𝜕𝑣 𝜕𝑝 𝜕"𝑣 𝜕"𝑣 𝜕"𝑣
𝜌 +𝑢 +𝑣 +𝑤 = 𝜌𝑔' − +𝜇 + +
𝜕𝑡 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑧 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑥 " 𝜕𝑦 " 𝜕𝑧 "
𝜕𝑤 𝜕𝑤 𝜕𝑤 𝜕𝑤 𝜕𝑝 𝜕"𝑤 𝜕"𝑤 𝜕"𝑤
𝜌 +𝑢 +𝑣 +𝑤 = 𝜌𝑔% − +𝜇 + +
𝜕𝑡 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑧 𝜕𝑧 𝜕𝑥 " 𝜕𝑦 " 𝜕𝑧 "
It follows that these equations can be made Dimensionless!
 Dimensional Analysis: What and Why?
´ the equations can be transformed to dimensionless forms
As a function of the constitutive and thermodynamic properties of the
fluid, and boundary conditions
´ Dimensionless parameters are obtained in the process which
can be interpreted and linked to physical phenomena in the
fluid flow
´ Dimensionless parameters so obtained can be used to
determine the importance of various terms in the equations
(remember, each term represents a physical phenomenon)
´ Sets the condition for scaling
Design of experiment/prototype for a physical system
Extrapolation of the results from the experiment/prototype to the
physical system
 Example
´ Consider an object moving vertically through a frictionless fluid under the influence
of gravity:
𝑑! 𝑧 𝑑𝑧
= −𝑔 at 𝑡 = 0, location 𝑧 = 𝑧" , and velocity = 𝑤"
𝑑𝑡 ! 𝑑𝑡
1
´ Solution: 𝑧 = 𝑧" + 𝑤" 𝑡 − 𝑔𝑡 !
2
 Example
´ Two sets of
experiments were
conducted
´ Vary the initial
height (z0 = 3, 6, 9,
12, 15 m) and
measure z vs. t with
constant w0 = 4 m/s
´ Vary the initial
vertical speed (w0 =
2, 4, 6, 8, 10
m/s)and measure z
vs. t with constant z0
= 10 m

Could we have planned this experiment in more efficient manner or present the
data of this experiment in more compact form? Can you see the effect of g?
 Example
´ Consider an object moving vertically through a frictionless fluid under the influence
of gravity:
𝑑! 𝑧 𝑑𝑧
= −𝑔 at 𝑡 = 0, location 𝑧 = 𝑧" , and velocity = 𝑤"
𝑑𝑡 ! 𝑑𝑡
´ Solution: 1
𝑧 = 𝑧" + 𝑤" 𝑡 − 𝑔𝑡 !
2
´ Primary dimensions
𝐿 𝐿
𝑧 = 𝐿 𝑡 = 𝑇 𝑧" = 𝐿 𝑤" = 𝑔 = !
𝑇 𝑇
´ Equation has only two primary dimensions (L, T). Need only two scaling parameters.
´ Three dimensional constants available (𝑧" , 𝑤" , 𝑔). Choose any two. Three options.
´ Nondimensionalized variables with (𝑧" , 𝑤" ) as scaling parameters:
𝑧 𝑤" 𝑡
𝑧∗ = 𝑡∗ =
𝑧" 𝑧"
 Example
´ Substitute into the original differential equation of motion:
𝑑! 𝑧 𝑑 ! 𝑧" 𝑧 ∗ 𝑤" ! 𝑑 ! 𝑧 ∗ 𝑤" ! 𝑑 ! 𝑧 ∗
= = = −𝑔 ⇒ = −1
𝑑𝑡 ! 𝑑 𝑧" 𝑡 ∗ ⁄𝑤" ! 𝑧" 𝑑𝑡 ∗ ! 𝑔𝑧" 𝑑𝑡 ∗ !

𝑤"
´ Can you identify this well-known dimensionless group?
𝑔𝑧"
´ It’s Froude Number: 𝐹 = 𝑤"
$
𝑔𝑧"

´ Nondimensionalized Equation:
𝑑! 𝑧 ∗ 1 ∗ ∗
𝑑𝑧 ∗
=− ! at 𝑡 = 0, location 𝑧 = 1, and velocity =1
𝑑𝑡 ∗ ! 𝐹$ 𝑑𝑡 ∗
´ Nondimensionalized Solution:
1
𝑧∗ = 1 + 𝑡∗ − ! 𝑡∗!
2𝐹$
 Example
´ Plot z* vs. t* at different Fr.
´ At low Froude number,
contribution of gravitational
force are much larger than the
inertial force
´ At large Froude number, initial
forces dominate initially and
body rises to a large height
before starting to fall and takes
more time to reach the ground.
´ How about effect of g?

g on the surface of the Moon is ~1/6th of that on the Earth ? Can you see the
result of the similar experiments on the moon from such plot?
 Example
´ Mass conservation equation:
𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑣 𝜕𝑤
+ + =0
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑧
´ Conservation of momentum, Navier-Stokes equations (steady state):
𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑝 𝜕 !𝑢 𝜕 !𝑢 𝜕 !𝑢
𝜌 𝑢 +𝑣 +𝑤 =− +𝜇 + +
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑧 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑥 ! 𝜕𝑦 ! 𝜕𝑧 !
𝜕𝑣 𝜕𝑣 𝜕𝑣 𝜕𝑝 𝜕 !𝑣 𝜕 !𝑣 𝜕 !𝑣
𝜌 𝑢 +𝑣 +𝑤 =− +𝜇 + +
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑧 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑥 ! 𝜕𝑦 ! 𝜕𝑧 !
𝜕𝑤 𝜕𝑤 𝜕𝑤 𝜕𝑝 𝜕 !𝑤 𝜕 !𝑤 𝜕 !𝑤
𝜌 𝑢 +𝑣 +𝑤 = 𝜌𝑔 − +𝜇 + +
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑧 𝜕𝑧 𝜕𝑥 ! 𝜕𝑦 ! 𝜕𝑧 !
´ Nondimensionalized variables :
𝑥 𝑦 𝑧 𝑢 𝑣 𝑤 𝑝
𝑥∗ = 𝑦∗ = 𝑧∗ = 𝑢∗ = 𝑣∗ = 𝑤∗ = 𝑝∗ =
𝐿 𝐿 𝐿 𝑉# 𝑉# 𝑉# 𝜌𝑉#!
 Example
´ Substitute:
𝜕𝑢 𝜕 𝑢∗𝑉# 𝑉# 𝜕𝑢∗
= =
𝜕𝑥 𝜕 𝑥 ∗𝐿 𝐿 𝜕𝑥 ∗
´ Conservation of mass (non-dimensional):

𝑉# 𝜕𝑢∗ 𝑉# 𝜕𝑣 ∗ 𝑉# 𝜕𝑤 ∗
+ + =0
𝐿 𝜕𝑥 ∗ 𝐿 𝜕𝑦 ∗ 𝐿 𝜕𝑧 ∗
$%
´ Dividing by %
:

𝜕𝑢 ∗ 𝜕𝑣 ∗ 𝜕𝑤 ∗
+ + =0
𝜕𝑥 ∗ 𝜕𝑦 ∗ 𝜕𝑧 ∗
 Example
´ Substitute:
𝜕𝑢 ∗ 𝜕 𝑢∗𝑉# 𝑉#! ∗ 𝜕𝑢∗
𝑢 = 𝑢 𝑉# = 𝑢
𝜕𝑥 𝜕 𝑥 ∗𝐿 𝐿 𝜕𝑥 ∗
𝜕 !𝑢 𝜕 ! 𝑢∗𝑉# 𝑉# 𝜕 !𝑢∗
= = ! ∗!
𝜕𝑥 ! 𝜕 𝑥 ∗𝐿 ! 𝐿 𝜕𝑥
´ Navier-Stokes (non-dimensional):
𝜌𝑉#! ∗ 𝜕𝑢∗ ∗
𝜕𝑢∗ ∗
𝜕𝑢∗ 𝜌𝑉#! 𝜕𝑝∗ 𝜇𝑉# 𝜕 !𝑢∗ 𝜕 !𝑢∗ 𝜕 !𝑢∗
𝑢 +𝑣 +𝑤 =− + ! + +
𝐿 𝜕𝑥 ∗ 𝜕𝑦 ∗ 𝜕𝑧 ∗ 𝐿 𝜕𝑥 ∗ 𝐿 𝜕𝑥 ∗! 𝜕𝑦 ∗! 𝜕𝑧 ∗!
𝜌𝑉#! ∗ 𝜕𝑣 ∗ ∗
𝜕𝑣 ∗ ∗
𝜕𝑣 ∗ 𝜌𝑉#! 𝜕𝑝∗ 𝜇𝑉# 𝜕 !𝑣 ∗ 𝜕 !𝑣 ∗ 𝜕 !𝑣 ∗
𝑢 +𝑣 +𝑤 =− + ! + +
𝐿 𝜕𝑥 ∗ 𝜕𝑦 ∗ 𝜕𝑧 ∗ 𝐿 𝜕𝑦 ∗ 𝐿 𝜕𝑥 ∗! 𝜕𝑦 ∗! 𝜕𝑧 ∗!
𝜌𝑉#! ∗ 𝜕𝑤 ∗ ∗
𝜕𝑤 ∗ ∗
𝜕𝑤 ∗ 𝜌𝑉#! 𝜕𝑝∗ 𝜇𝑉# 𝜕 !𝑤 ∗ 𝜕 !𝑤 ∗ 𝜕 !𝑤 ∗
𝑢 +𝑣 +𝑤 = −𝜌𝑔 − + ! ! + ! +
𝐿 𝜕𝑥 ∗ 𝜕𝑦 ∗ 𝜕𝑧 ∗ 𝐿 𝜕𝑧 ∗ 𝐿 𝜕𝑥 ∗ 𝜕𝑦 ∗ 𝜕𝑧 ∗!
&$%&
´ Divide by
%
 Example
´ Navier-Stokes (non-dimensional):

𝜕𝑢∗ 𝜕𝑢∗ 𝜕𝑢∗ 𝜕𝑝∗ 𝜇 𝜕 ! 𝑢∗ 𝜕 ! 𝑢∗ 𝜕 ! 𝑢∗

𝑢∗ +𝑣 ∗ +𝑤 ∗ =− ∗+ + +
𝜕𝑥 ∗ 𝜕𝑦 ∗ 𝜕𝑧 ∗ 𝜕𝑥 𝜌𝑉#𝐿 𝜕𝑥 ∗! 𝜕𝑦 ∗! 𝜕𝑧 ∗!
∗
𝜕𝑣 ∗ ∗
𝜕𝑣 ∗ ∗
𝜕𝑣 ∗ 𝜕𝑝∗ 𝜇 𝜕 !𝑣 ∗ 𝜕 !𝑣 ∗ 𝜕 !𝑣 ∗
𝑢 +𝑣 +𝑤 =− ∗+ + +
𝜕𝑥 ∗ 𝜕𝑦 ∗ 𝜕𝑧 ∗ 𝜕𝑦 𝜌𝑉#𝐿 𝜕𝑥 ∗! 𝜕𝑦 ∗! 𝜕𝑧 ∗!
∗ 𝜕𝑤 ∗ ∗ 𝜕𝑤 ∗ ∗ 𝜕𝑤 ∗ 𝑔𝐿 𝜕𝑝∗ 𝜇 𝜕 !𝑤 ∗ 𝜕 !𝑤 ∗ 𝜕 !𝑤 ∗
𝑢 +𝑣 +𝑤 =− !− ∗+ + +
𝜕𝑥 ∗ 𝜕𝑦 ∗ 𝜕𝑧 ∗ 𝑉# 𝜕𝑧 𝜌𝑉#𝐿 𝜕𝑥 ∗! 𝜕𝑦 ∗! 𝜕𝑧 ∗!
´ Can you recognise the nondimensional terms?
&$%%
´ Reynold’s number: 𝑅' = (
$%
´ Froude number: 𝐹) =
*%
 Example
´ Navier-Stokes (non-dimensional):

𝜕𝑢∗ 𝜕𝑢∗ 𝜕𝑢∗ 𝜕𝑝∗ 1 𝜕 !𝑢∗ 𝜕 !𝑢∗ 𝜕 !𝑢∗

𝑢∗ +𝑣 ∗ +𝑤 ∗ =− ∗+ + +
𝜕𝑥 ∗ 𝜕𝑦 ∗ 𝜕𝑧 ∗ 𝜕𝑥 𝑅' 𝜕𝑥 ∗! 𝜕𝑦 ∗! 𝜕𝑧 ∗!
∗
𝜕𝑣 ∗ ∗
𝜕𝑣 ∗ ∗
𝜕𝑣 ∗ 𝜕𝑝∗ 1 𝜕 !𝑣 ∗ 𝜕 !𝑣 ∗ 𝜕 !𝑣 ∗
𝑢 +𝑣 +𝑤 =− ∗+ + +
𝜕𝑥 ∗ 𝜕𝑦 ∗ 𝜕𝑧 ∗ 𝜕𝑦 𝑅' 𝜕𝑥 ∗! 𝜕𝑦 ∗! 𝜕𝑧 ∗!
∗ 𝜕𝑤 ∗ ∗ 𝜕𝑤 ∗ ∗ 𝜕𝑤 ∗ 1 𝜕𝑝∗ 1 𝜕 !𝑤 ∗ 𝜕 !𝑤 ∗ 𝜕 !𝑤 ∗
𝑢 +𝑣 +𝑤 =− !− ∗+ + +
𝜕𝑥 ∗ 𝜕𝑦 ∗ 𝜕𝑧 ∗ 𝐹) 𝜕𝑧 𝑅' 𝜕𝑥 ∗! 𝜕𝑦 ∗! 𝜕𝑧 ∗!

Homework: nondimensionalize the unsteady forms of the conservation of mass and

momentum equations.