1st Term SY 2019-2020

Chapter 3:
Hydrostatic Forces on Surfaces

Mech 311 Fluid Mechanics

Aloysius C. Mapalo, MSCE, PICE
acmapalo@uc-bcf.edu.ph
MECH 311

Hydrostatic Force on Curved Surfaces

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 1st Term SY 2019-2020

Hydrostatic Force on Curved Surfaces

The horizontal component, Fx,
is equal (in both magnitude
and line of acCon) to the
normal force on the verCcal
projecCon of the curved
surface.

The ver2cal component, Fy, is

equal to the hydrostaCc force
acCng on the horizontal
projecCon of the curved
surface, plus (or minus if acCng
in the opposite direcCon) the
weight of the fluid block.

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Hydrostatic Force on Curved Surfaces

When a curved surface is above

the liquid, the weight of the
liquid and the vertical
component of the hydrostatic
force act in the opposite
directions.

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Hydrostatic Force on Curved Surfaces

The hydrostaCc force acCng on a
circular surface always passes
through the center of the circle
since the pressure forces are
normal to the surface.

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Sample Problems
1. A long solid cylinder of radius 0.8 m hinged at point A is used as an auto-
matic gate, as shown in Fig. 3–36. When the water level reaches 5 m, the
gate opens by turning about the hinge at point A. Determine (a) the hydro-
static force acting on the cylinder and its line of action when the gate
opens and (b) the weight of the cylinder per m length of the cylinder.

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Hydrostatic Force on Curved Surfaces

AlternaCve soluCon for verCcal component:
Fv is equal to the weight of the volume of liquid above the area (real or
imaginary). The force passes through the center of gravity of the volume.

curved surface is under liquid

MECH 311

Hydrostatic Force on Curved Surfaces

Alternative solution for vertical component:
Fv is equal to the weight of the volume of liquid above the area (real or
imaginary). The force passes through the center of gravity of the volume.

curved surface is above liquid

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Sample Problems
2. Solve the same problem in No. 1, using alternative solution in finding
vertical component:

MECH 311

Sample Problems
3. The submerged sector gate AB shown is one-sixth of a circle of radius 6 m.
The length of the gate is 10 m. Determine the amount and the location of
the horizontal and vertical components of the hydrostatic force on the
surface.
Hint: centroid of
a sector:

6m radius

2𝑟 sin 𝛼 60°
𝑥=
3𝛼

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Hoop or Circumferential Stress

Circumferential tress on thin wall:

𝑝𝐷
𝜎=
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2𝑡
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Hoop or Circumferential Stress

Hoop tress on bands of storage vats:

𝑝𝐷𝑠
𝜎=
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2𝐴0
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Sample Problems
4. Find the wall thickness of steel pipe needed to resist the static
pressure in a 36-in-diameter steel pipe carrying water under a
head of 750 ft of water. Use an allowable working stress for
steel pipe of 16,000 psi.
5. A vertical cylinder tank is 6 ft in diameter and 10 ft high. Its
sides are held in position by means of two steel hoopd, one at
the top and one at the bottom. The tank is filled with water
up to 9 ft high. Determine the tensile stress in hoop.
6. A wooden storage vat, 20 ft in outside diameter, is filled with
24 ft of brine, (s = 1.06). The wood staves are bound by steel
bands, 2-in wide by ¼-in thick, whose allowable stress is
16,000 psi. What is the required spacing of the bands near the
bottom of of the vat, neglecting initial stress?

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