Stability of Floating Bodies

If the center of gravity is below the centroid, the body is

always stable, as with submerged bodies.
The body may be stable, though, even if the center of gravity is
above the centroid, as sketched.

Stability of Floating Bodies

When the body rotates the centroid
of the volume of displaced liquid
moves to the new location C'. If the
centroid C' moves sufficiently far, a
restoring moment develops and the
body is stable.
This is determined by the metacentric height GM.
Metacentre M is the point of intersection of the buoyant force
before rotation with the buoyant force after rotation.
If GM is positive, as shown, the body is stable; if GM is
negative (M lies below G), the body is unstable.
2

Stability of Floating Bodies

To determine a quantitative relationship for the distance GM

consider the sketch, which shows the uniform cross section of
the floating body in rotated condition.
3

Stability of Floating Bodies

An expression for , the xcoordinate of the centroid of
the displaced volume can be
found by considering the
volume to be the original
volume plus the added
wedge with cross-sectional
area DOE minus the subtracted wedge with cross-sectional
area AOB.
To locate the centroid of the composite volume, we take
moments as follows:

Stability of Floating Bodies

Stability of Floating Bodies

Stability of Floating Bodies

Stability of Floating Bodies