Mapua Institute of Technology

School of Civil Engineering Environmental and Sanitary Engineering

Hydraulics Laboratory

Experiment No. 3
Hydrostatic Force on Plane
Surfaces

Name: Bautista, Derwin Daniel C.

Student #: 2008103322
Program & Year: CE / 3
Course code & Sec: CE140-OP / B2 (Fluid mechanics)
Group #: 5
Group Members: Espejo, Mhello; Ramos, Jomar; Bautista, Derwin
Date Performed: October 26, 2010
Date Submitted: November 4, 2010
Ratings

Engr. Fibor J. Tan

Instructor
HYDRAULICS DEPARTMENT

Name:
Bautista, Derwin Daniel C._____________________
Subject & Section:__CE140-0P / B2
Date Performed:_October
26, 2010_
Instructor: Engr. Fibor J. Tan
Date Submitted:_November 4,
2010
EXPERIMENT NO. 3
HYDROSTATIC FORCE ON PLANE SURFACES
Usually, engineers are confronted with problem of determining the force
exerted by fluids acting on walls of container, such as pipes, tanks, and concrete
forms. Here, forces are due to the pressure, which is being exerted outward from
the inside of the container. On the other occasions, the problem maybe to
determine the pressure exerted against submerged objects such as caissons,
diving bells and balloons. Another common problem is the determination of the
forces acting on gates in the walls of these containers or submerged objects.
Forces acting on containers or submerged objects are due to pressure of a gas, a
liquid, or a solid. In the case of gas, pressure usually does not vary appreciably
with elevation in the vertical distances that are commonly considered. With liquids,
however, the pressure will vary from atmospheric at free surface to tremendous
magnitudes at great depths, such as the ocean. The actual absolute magnitude of
the pressure depends on the atmospheric pressure, the depth of the point being
considered, and the specific weight of the liquid involved.
OBJECTIVE
This experiment determines the hydrostatic force on a submerged and semisubmerged rectangular area.
DERIVATION
Let

hS = vertical height from the fulcrum to water surface

h = vertical height from the water surface to top of quadrant plane surface
d = height of end surface of quadrant
b = width of end face quadrant = 75 mm

Consider a strip across the end face of the quadrant dx at a depth x, force on that
strip = pgxbdx.
(Please refer to your lecture notes)

x
d

d
d

b= 75mm

From:

P = YL h
therefore P = YL x
P = F/A = dF/dA
therefore dF = PdA
dF = YL xbdx
h +d

dF= L gbxdx
h

therefore, the total force on the end surface

gb|(h+d )2h 2|
F=
2
For partially submerged surface, h = 0. Therefore,
gbd 2
F=
2

Taking moments about the surface,

F x =d F x
h+ d

F x = gb x 2 dx
h

gb [ ( h+d )3h 3 ]
F x=
3

----------------------------------------(2)

Where X = depth of center of pressure

Dividing Equation 2 by Equation 1:
gb [ ( h+ d )3 h3 ] gb [ ( h+d )3h3 ]
3
3
x=
=
F
gb [ ( h+d )2h2 ]
2
2 ( h3+ 3 d h 2+3 d 2 h+d 3h3 )
x=
3 ( h+2 d h+d 2h 2 )

x=

2 ( 3 h 2+3 d h+ d2 )
------------------------------------------3 ( 2 h+ d )

(3)
For Partially submerged surface, h=0
x=

Taking moment about the fulcrum

Wr=F(x+hs)

2d
3

Wr=pgb[(h+d)2-h2][2(3h2+3hd+d2)/(3(2h+d)+hs)]/2
Where r=275 mm
Compare experimental rules of Wr with the calculated values of F(x+hs)
APPARATUS
Hydrostatic Pressure Apparatus
Hydraulic Bench

LABORATORY PROCEDURE
Place the apparatus on the hydraulic bench. Level the apparatus using the spirit
level and adjustable feet. Ensure pump delivery valve is fully closed. Connect
flexible supply hose to apparatus. Adjust the counterweight to balance the counter
balance beam until the beam is level. Switch on the pump. Place a mass of
approximately 50 grams on the pan. Open pump delivery valve and allow water in
to the tank until balance arm is horizontal then close the pump delivery valve.
Read height of water level on scale or torroid. Repeat the same procedure for
various values of weight in the balance pan up to four trials. Stop Hydraulics Bench
pump. Disconnect supply hose from the apparatus and allow apparatus to drain.

FIGURE 1

APPLICATION OF PRINCIPLE
1. Comment on the variation of thrust with depth.
2. Comment on the relationship between the depth of the center of pressure
and depth of immersion.
3. For both 1 and 2, comment on what happens when the plane has become
fully submerged.
4. Explain and comment on the discrepancies between the experimental and
the theoretical results of the depth of center of pressure.

FINAL DATA SHEET

NAME: ___Bautista, Derwin Daniel C.__________________________________
2010_____________
SUBJECT AND SECTION: __CE140-0P / B2_______________________________
______5__________________
SEAT NO.: ___________

DATE: ___October 26,

GROUP NO.:

EXPERIMENT NO. 3
HYDROSTATIC FORCE ON PLANE SURFACE
I.

Submerged

Group No.

Trial

1
2

II.

W
(g)
250
300

h
(mm)
7
19

d
(mm)
100
100

h+d
(mm)
107
119

hs
(mm)
90
77

x
(mm)
71.62
81.08

x+hs
(mm)
161.62
158.08

F
(N)
4.193
5.08

F(x+hs)
(N-mm)
677.67
802.52

Wr
%
(N-mm) error
674.43
0.42
809.325 0.84

h
(mm)
0
0

d
(mm)
65
81

h+d
(mm)
65
81

hs
(mm)
129
113

x
(mm)
43.33
54

x+hs
(mm)
172.33
167

F
(N)
1.55
2.41

F(x+hs)
(N-mm)
267.11
403.08

Wr
%
(N-mm) error
269.775 0.99
404.662 0.39

Semi-submerged

Group No.

Trial

1
2

W
(g)
100
150

SAMPLE COMPUTATION

Trial 1. Submerged
Given :

W =250 g
b=75 mm=0.075 m

h=7 mm=0.007 m
d=100 mm=0.1 m

h s=90 mm=0.09 m
EV =F ( x +h s )=( 4.193 )( 90+71.62 )=677.67 N mm
AV =Wr=( 250 103 ) ( 9.81 ) ( 275 )=674.43 N mm
DerivationFormula for F
dF=bxdx ; =g

dF=gbxdx
h+d

F=gb xdx
h

2 h+d

[ ]

x
F=gb
2

F=

gb
(h+ d)2h2 ]
[
2

F=

( 1000 )( 9.81 ) (0.075)

( 0.100+ 0.007 )2( 0.100 )2 ]
[
2

F=4.193 N

DerivationFormula for x

F x= xdF
h+d

F x=gb x2 dx
h

h+d

[ ]

x3
F x=gb
3

gb (
3
[
h+ d ) h3 ]
3

gb
( h+d )3h 3 ]
[
3
x=
gb
( h+d )2h 2 ]
[
2
2(3 h2 +3 hd+ d 2)
x=
3 (2h+ d)
2 [ 3(7)2 +3 ( 7 ) ( 100 ) +( 100)2 ]
x=
3 [ 2 ( 7 )+ 100 ]
x=71.62 mm

Percent Error

| AVAVEV | 100=|677.67674.43
| 100
674.43

Error=

Error=0.42

Trial 1. Semisubmerged
W =100 g

b=75 mm=0.075 m
h=0 mm=0 m

d=65 mm=0.065 m
h s=129 mm=0.129 m
EV =F ( x +h s )=( 1.55 ) ( 43.33+129 )=267.11 N mm
AV =Wr=( 100 103 ) ( 9.81 ) ( 275 )=269.78 N mm
see previous page for derivations ( h=0 )
DerivationFormula for F
F=

gb
(h+ d)2h2 ]
[
2

F=

gbd
2

( 1000 )( 9.81 ) ( 0.075 ) ( 0.065 )2

F=
2
F=1.55 N

DerivationFormula for x
2

x=

2(3 h +3 hd+ d )
3 (2h+ d)

x=

2d 2
3d

x=

2d
3

x=

2 ( 65 )
3

x=43.33 mm
Percent Error

| AVAVEV | 100
269.78267.11
Error=|
| 100
269.78
Error=

Error=0.99

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

In this experiment, the performers, such as us, had been able to determine
the hydrostatic force on a body with a certain cross-sectional area. This hydrostatic
force acts perpendicular to the cross-section. In this case, the cross-section is
rectangular and the fluid is water with the mass density of 1000 kilogram per cubic
meter. This experiment also includes the determination of the location of the point
where the hydrostatic force is assumed to be concentrated relative to the water
surface. There is also an application of the principle of moments wherein the net
moment acting at a certain axis which is the hinge of the hydrostatic pressure
apparatus is equated to zero. This will yield to an assumption that the hydrostatic
force is the reactive force due to the weight of the pan due to an unbalanced force;
thus, moments are equal with respect to the hinge of the apparatus. Therefore,
there can be an approximation of the values of the moment of the weight and the
force exerted by the fluid; wherein the moments are compared through percentage
error.
In the process, the weight of the pan is increasing. In this case, there are
100, 150, 250, and 300 grams. The apparatus will be filled with the fluid whose
force will be the reaction due to the weight; thus, the body is sent to equilibrium. It
can be observed that this mass is one important part of this experiment given that
the magnitude of the hydrostatic force and the depth of the fluid required for
equilibrium will depend on it. Also, the possibility of this body, if it will float or
submerge on water depends on this unbalanced force. It was observed that the
higher the mass of the pan or the net force is, the higher the magnitude of the
force is and the lower will be the depth. Thus, an assumption that the mass of the
pan is directly proportional to the hydrostatic force or the depth of the body from
the fluid can be made. In addition, theres also an assumption that the hydrostatic
force is higher when submerged. Thus, the higher the force means of deeper value
of the center of pressure as also observed in the performed experiment.
The results obtained in the experiment are rather precise given that the
percentage errors or the indicator of the discrepancy are approximately lower than
1 % for all values of the mass. The errors may due to the inaccuracy of the
instruments used in measuring particularly the ruler in measuring the depth which
is important for the moment equations. In addition, instead of a fixed total height
of the beam measured from the adjustable screw, it vary since instead of
subtracting the depth and the dimension of the beam from 200mm, measured
value is used in calculating the moment. Thus, even with the accurate data,
misuse of the equations and the formulae is the primary reason the error is
committed.

ANSWERS TO REPORT
1. Comment on the variation of thrust with depth.
200
100
0

Column2

The thrust or the hydrostatic force is directly proportional to the depth

of the body. In other words, the thrust exerted on the beam is higher when it
is submerged rather than when it is floating.
2. Comment on the relationship between the depth of the center of pressure
and depth of immersion.
The depth of the center of pressure is directly proportional to the depth
of immersion off the beam. Provided that the center of pressure relative to
the beam remains constant, the increase in depth of the immersion of the
body means an increase in the depth of its center of pressure.
3. For both 1 and 2, comment on what happens when the plane has become
fully submerged.
If the plane had become fully submerged, there will be a depth h
measured from the water surface to the top of the body being considered
and the value from the adjustable screw to the water surface hs. There will be
an increase in pressure due to its high depth. Thus, theres an increase in the
hydrostatic force given that it was somehow relative to the hydrostatic
pressure which is affected by the depth. Assumptions that the hydrostatic
force will be higher if it was fully submerged and the force is directly
proportional to the depth of the beam are made. In addition, the value of h s
is lower when submerged as compared to the semi-submerged body.
4. Explain and comment on the discrepancies between the experimental and
the theoretical results of the depth of the center of pressure.

Theres the discrepancy, even at the smallest value, between the

experimental and the theoretical results of the depth of the center of
pressure since the experimental value of the depth of the center of pressure
is the approximated value of the triangular distributed load acted on the
body (for semi-submerged) and the derived value by taking moments about
the surface (for submerged; refer to previous pages for derivations). The
actual value is somehow relative to the moment of Inertia of the plane area
perpendicular to the force. Therefore, even with accurate results, theres a
discrepancy in the results.
CONCLUSION
Going further, the group can generalize that the hydrostatic force is directly
proportional to the depth of the body with a certain cross-section. As the body goes
deeper, the force exerted increases. This is also relevant to pressure provided that
the pressure increases with increasing depth; and pressure is also force per unit
area. Theres a possibility that at a constant area, the increase in pressure means
also of increase in the force.
A practical application of this experiment is the dam wherein the distributed
hydrostatic force is triangular wherein the depth increases. Some of the
applications on the principles present in this experiment are the designs of dams.
Since dams hold massive reservoir of water, the design of it must outstand the
pressure exerted by the water underneath it. Such experiment is important to
know, which design is the most effective in achieving the maximum safety, and
quality in minimal cost.
It is recommended for reduction of possible causes of errors in this
experiment is through further knowledge and learning of the experiments that will
be performed. The procedure and other concepts must be read carefully and must
be familiarized. In addition, it was recommended to use other materials that yield
more accurate results.

REFERENCES

Besavilla, V. (1996) Fluid Mechanics and Hydraulics.

Center

http://www.jfccivilengineer.com/centre_of_pressure.htm
Fluid
Statics
(n.d.)
Retrieved
November

of

pressure

(n.d.)

Retrieved

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrostatics

November

2,
2,

2010
2010

from
from