Hydrostatic Forces on

Plane Surfaces
Force Exerted by a Liquid on a plane Area
 Force Exerted by a Liquid on a plane Area
𝐹 = 𝛾ℎ𝑐𝑔 𝐴 or 𝐹 = 𝑃𝐴 𝐹 = 𝛾ℎ𝑐𝑔 𝐴 Force Components:
𝐹 = Σ𝑃𝑇 + ⋯ + 𝑃𝐵 1. Magnitude – cg (center of
𝑑𝐹 = 𝑃𝑑𝐴 ; 𝑃 = 𝛾ℎ gravity)
F = magnitude 𝐹 = ∫𝛾ℎ𝑑𝐴 ; ℎ = 𝑦𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃
2. Location – cp (center of
ℎ𝑐𝑔 = height from the 𝐹 = ∫𝛾𝑦𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃𝑑𝐴 ; ℎ = 𝛾, 𝜃
→ 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡 pressure)
center of gravity
𝐹 = 𝛾𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃∫𝑦𝑑𝐴
A = area ത ; 𝑌ത = 𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑖𝑑
𝐹 = 𝛾𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 𝑌𝐴
P = pressure
𝐼𝑐𝑔 = Inertia
𝐼𝑐𝑔 𝐼𝑐𝑔
Line of Action: 𝑦𝑐𝑝 = + 𝑦𝑐𝑔 , e = , 𝑦𝑐𝑝 = 𝑒 + 𝑦𝑐𝑔 𝑦𝑐𝑔 = distance of the centroid
𝑦𝑐𝑔 𝐴 𝑦𝑐𝑔 𝐴
A = Area
Quick Formulas for the moment of Inertia, I
Example 1: Determine the resultant force F due to water acting on the 3 m by 6 m
rectangular area AB.

𝑏ℎ3 (3𝑚)(6𝑚)3
𝐼𝑐𝑔 = = = 54𝑚4
ℎ𝑐𝑔 = 4𝑚 + 3𝑚 = 7𝑚 12 12
𝐴 = 3𝑚 6𝑚 = 18𝑚2 𝑦𝑐𝑔 = ℎ𝑐𝑔 = 7𝑚

𝐼𝑐𝑔
𝐹 = 𝛾ℎ𝑐𝑔 𝐴 𝑦𝑐𝑝 = + 𝑦𝑐𝑔
𝑘𝑁 𝑦𝑐𝑔 𝐴
𝐹 = 9.81 3 (7𝑚)(18𝑚2 ) 54𝑚4
𝑚 𝑦𝑐𝑝 = + 7𝑚
𝐹 = 1236.06 𝑘𝑁 (7𝑚)(18𝑚2 )
𝑦𝑐𝑝 = 7.43 𝑚
Example 2: Determine the resultant force due to water acting on the 4 m by 6 m
triangular area CD shown in Fig. 3-3. The apex of the triangle is at C.

ℎ𝑐𝑔 = 3𝑚 + 2.83 = 5.83𝑚 𝑏ℎ3 (4𝑚)(6𝑚)3

(4𝑚)(6𝑚) 𝐼𝑐𝑔 = = = 24𝑚4
𝐴= = 12𝑚2 36 36
2 ℎ𝑐𝑔 5.83𝑚
𝑦𝑐𝑔 = = = 8.24𝑚
sin 𝜃 sin 45°
𝐹 = 𝛾ℎ𝑐𝑔 𝐴
𝑘𝑁 𝐼𝑐𝑔
𝐹 = 9.81 3 (5.83𝑚)(12𝑚2 ) 𝑦𝑐𝑝 = + 𝑦𝑐𝑔
𝑚 𝑦𝑐𝑔 𝐴
𝐹 = 686.31 𝑘𝑁 24𝑚4
𝑦𝑐𝑝 = + 8.24𝑚
(8.24𝑚)(12𝑚2 )
𝑦𝑐𝑝 = 8.48 𝑚
Example 3: Water rises to level E in the pipe attached to tank ABCD in Fig. 3-4.
Neglecting the weight of the tank and riser pipe, (a) determine and locate the
resultant force acting on area AB, which is 8 ft wide; (b) compute the total force on
the bottom of the tank; and (c) compare the total weight of the water with the result
in (b) and explain the difference.

a) ℎ𝑐𝑔 = 12𝑚 + 3𝑚 = 15𝑚

𝐴 = 8𝑚 6𝑚 = 48𝑚2

𝐹𝐴𝐵 = 𝛾ℎ𝑐𝑔 𝐴
𝑙𝑏
𝐹𝐴𝐵 = 62.4 3
(15𝑓𝑡)(48𝑓𝑡 2 )
𝑓𝑡
𝐹𝐴𝐵 = 44928 𝑙𝑏
𝑏ℎ3 (8𝑓𝑡)(6𝑓𝑡)3
𝐼𝑐𝑔 = = = 144𝑓𝑡 4
36 12
𝑦𝑐𝑔 = ℎ𝑐𝑔 = 15𝑓𝑡 c) 𝑉 = 20𝑓𝑡 8𝑓𝑡 6𝑓𝑡 +
b) ℎ𝑐𝑔 = 12𝑚 + 6𝑚 = 18𝑚 1𝑓𝑡 2 12𝑓𝑡
𝐼𝑐𝑔 𝐴 = 8𝑚 20𝑚 = 160𝑚2 𝑉 = 972𝑓𝑡 3
𝑦𝑐𝑝 = + 𝑦𝑐𝑔
𝑦𝑐𝑔 𝐴
144 𝐹𝐵𝐶 = 𝛾ℎ𝑐𝑔 𝐴 𝑊 = 𝛾𝑉
𝑦𝑐𝑝 = + 15𝑓𝑡 𝑙𝑏
(15𝑓𝑡)(48𝑓𝑡 2 ) 𝐹𝐵𝐶 = 62.4 3 (18𝑚)(160𝑚2 ) 𝑙𝑏
𝑦𝑐𝑝 = 12.2 𝑓𝑡 𝑓𝑡 𝑊 = 62.4 3 (972𝑓𝑡 3 )
𝑓𝑡
𝐹𝐵𝐶 = 179712 𝑙𝑏 𝑊 = 60652.8 𝑙𝑏
Example 4: Gate AB in Fig. 3-5(a) is 4 ft wide and is hinged at A. Gage G reads —2.17
psi, and oil of specific gravity 0.750 is in the right-hand tank. What horizontal force
must be applied at B for equilibrium of gate AB?
𝑙𝑏
𝛾𝑜𝑖𝑙 = (𝑠𝑔𝑜𝑖𝑙 )(𝛾𝐻𝑠 𝑂 ) = (0.75)(62.4 3 )
𝑓𝑡
𝑙𝑏
𝛾𝑜𝑖𝑙 = 46.8 3
𝑓𝑡
ℎ𝑐𝑔 = 3𝑓𝑡
𝐴 = (4)(6) = 24𝑓𝑡 2

𝐹𝑜𝑖𝑙 = 𝛾ℎ𝑐𝑔 𝐴
𝑙𝑏
𝐹𝑜𝑖𝑙 = 46.8 3
(3𝑓𝑡)(24𝑓𝑡 2 )
𝑓𝑡
𝐹𝑜𝑖𝑙 = 3369.6 𝑙𝑏

𝑏ℎ3 (4𝑓𝑡)(6𝑓𝑡)3
𝐼𝑐𝑔 = = = 72𝑓𝑡 4
12 12
𝑦𝑐𝑔 = ℎ𝑐𝑔 = 3𝑓𝑡

𝐼𝑐𝑔
𝑑𝑜𝑖𝑙 = 𝑦𝑐𝑝 = + 𝑦𝑐𝑔
𝑦𝑐𝑔 𝐴
72𝑓𝑡 4
𝑑𝑜𝑖𝑙 = + 3𝑓𝑡
(3𝑓𝑡)(24𝑓𝑡 3 )
𝑑𝑜𝑖𝑙 = 4𝑓𝑡
Example 4: Gate AB in Fig. 3-5(a) is 4 ft wide and is hinged at A. Gage G reads —2.17
psi, and oil of specific gravity 0.750 is in the right-hand tank. What horizontal force
must be applied at B for equilibrium of gate AB?
𝑏ℎ3 (4𝑓𝑡)(6𝑓𝑡)3 𝑌ത = ℎ𝑙𝑖𝑞 + 𝑦𝑐𝑝
𝐼𝑐𝑔 = = 𝑌ത = 5.01𝑓𝑡 + 10.29𝑓𝑡
𝑙𝑏 144𝑖𝑛2 12 4 12
2.17 2 𝐼𝑐𝑔 = 72𝑓𝑡 𝑌ത = 15.3𝑓𝑡
𝑃 𝑖𝑛 1𝑓𝑡
ℎ𝑙𝑖𝑞 = = 𝑦𝑐𝑔 = ℎ𝑐𝑔 = 9.99𝑓𝑡
𝛾 𝑙𝑏
62.4 3 𝑞 = 𝐴𝑊𝑆 − 𝑌ത
𝑓𝑡
ℎ𝑙𝑖𝑞 = 5.01𝑓𝑡 𝐼𝑐𝑔 𝑞 = 18𝑓𝑡 − 15.3𝑓𝑡
𝑦𝑐𝑝 = + 𝑦𝑐𝑔 𝑞 = 2.7
𝑦𝑐𝑔 𝐴
72𝑓𝑡 4
𝐼𝑊𝑆 = 𝐴𝑊𝑆 − ℎ𝑙𝑖𝑞 = 18𝑚 − 5.01𝑓𝑡 𝑦𝑐𝑝 = + 9.99𝑓𝑡
𝐼𝑊𝑆 = 12.99𝑓𝑡 (9.99𝑓𝑡)(24𝑓𝑡 3 ) 𝑑𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 = ℎ − 𝑞
𝐹3 𝑦𝑐𝑝 = 10.29𝑓𝑡 𝑑𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 = 6𝑓𝑡 − 2.7𝑓𝑡
𝑑𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 = 3.3𝑓𝑡
ℎ 6𝑓𝑡
ℎ𝑐𝑔 = 𝐼𝑊𝑆 − = 12.99𝑓𝑡 −
2 2
ℎ𝑐𝑔 = 9.99𝑓𝑡
𝐴 = (4)(6) = 24𝑓𝑡 2 ΣM=0
𝐹𝑜𝑖𝑙 𝑑𝑜𝑖𝑙 + 𝐹3 𝑑𝐴𝐵 − 𝐹𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑑𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 = 0
𝐹𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 = 𝛾ℎ𝑐𝑔 𝐴 3369.6 𝑙𝑏 4𝑓𝑡 + 𝐹3 6𝑓𝑡 − 14961.02 𝑙𝑏 3.3𝑓𝑡 =0
𝑙𝑏 𝐹3 6𝑓𝑡 = 49371.37 𝑙𝑏 ∙ 𝑓𝑡 − 13478.4 𝑙𝑏 ∙ 𝑓𝑡
𝐹𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 = 62.4 (9.99𝑓𝑡)(24𝑓𝑡 2 ) 35892.97 𝑙𝑏 ∙ 𝑓𝑡
𝑓𝑡 3 𝐹3 =
6𝑓𝑡
𝐹𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 = 14961.02 𝑙𝑏 𝐹3 = 5982.16 𝑙𝑏
Forces Exerted by Liquid on a plane area

The tank in Fig. 3-6 contains oil and

water. Find the resultant force on side
ABC, which is 4 ft
wide
Forces Exerted by Liquid on a plane area

In Fig. 3-7, gate ABC is hinged at B and

is 4 m long. Neglecting the weight of
the gate, determine the unbalanced
moment due to the water acting on
the gate.
Forces Exerted by Liquid on a plane area

The 2-m-diameter gate AB in Fig. 3-9

swings about a horizontal pivot C
located 40 mm below
the center of gravity. To what depth h
can the water rise without causing an
unbalanced clockwise
moment of pivot C?