UNIVERSITY OF CEBU (UC)

College of Engineering (COE)

CE EC 2 – ENHANCEMENT COURSE 2

BUOYANCY AND STABILITY

BUOYANCY

Buoyancy is the ability of an object to float in a liquid.

Archimedes’ Principle
“A body immersed in a fluid is acted upon by an upward force called the buoyant force, which is
equal to the weight of the fluid displaced.”

𝑩𝑭 = 𝜸𝑭𝑳𝑼𝑰𝑫 𝑽𝑫
Where:
𝛾!"#$% = 𝑈𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝐹𝑙𝑢𝑖𝑑

𝑉% = 𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝐷𝑖𝑠𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑑 (𝑜𝑟 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑜𝑑𝑦 𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑙𝑖𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑑 𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑒)

Prepared by: Engr. Joseph P. Sicadsicad

To solve the problems in buoyancy, identify the forces acting and apply conditions of static
equilibrium.
∑ 𝐹𝑥 = 0 ∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 0 ∑𝑀 = 0
Case 1:
For homogeneous body floating on a homogeneous liquid, the volume displaced is:
𝛾'()* 𝜌'()* 𝑆'()*
𝑉& = 𝑉'()* = 𝑉'()* = 𝑉
𝛾+,-.,) 𝜌+,-.,) 𝑆+,-.,) '()*

Case 2:
If the body of height H has a constant horizontal cross-sectional area such as vertical cylinders,
blocks, etc.
Draft (D),
𝑆'()*
𝐷= 𝐻
𝑆+,-.,)

Case 3:
If the body is of uniform cross-sectional area A, the area submerged As is:
𝑆'()*
𝐴/ = 𝐴
𝑆+,-.,)

Prepared by: Engr. Joseph P. Sicadsicad

Example:
1. An iceberg having specific gravity of 0.93 is floating on salt water. If the volume of ice
above water surface is 1000 cu.m., what is the total volume of the ice?

2. A hollow cylinder 1 m in diameter and 2 m high weighs 3825 N. (a) How many kN of lead
weighing 110 kN/m3 must be fastened to the outside bottom of the cylinder to make it
float with 1.5 m submerged in water? (b) How many kN of lead if it is placed inside the
cylinder?

3. A stone weigh 350 N in air. When submerged in water, it weighs 240 N. Find the volume
and the specific gravity of the stone.

4. A body having a sp. gr. of 0.70 floats on a liquid of sp. gr. 0.80. The volume of the body
above the liquid surface is what percent of its total volume?

5. A stone cube 280 mm on each side and weighing 425 N is lowered into a tank containing
a layer of water 1.50 m thick over a layer of mercury. Determine the position of the block
when it has reached equilibrium.

6. From the figure shown, the gate is 1 m wide and is hinged at the bottom of the gate.

A) Compute the hydrostatic force acting on the gate.

B) Compute the location of the center of pressure of the gate from the hinge
C) Determine the minimum volume of concrete (Unit Weight = 23.6 kN/m3) needed to
keep the gate in a closed position.

Prepared by: Engr. Joseph P. Sicadsicad

STABILITY OF IMMERSED AND FLOATING BODIES

Immersed Bodies
When a body is completely immersed in a liquid, its stability depends on the relative positions of
the center of gravity of the body and the centroid of the displaced volume of fluid which is called
the CENTER OF BUOYANCY. If the center of buoyancy is above the center of gravity any tipping
of the body produces a righting couple, and consequently, the body is stable. However, if the
center of gravity is above the center of buoyancy, any tipping produces an increasing overturning
moment, thus causing the body to turn through 180°.

Floating Bodies
The question of stability is more involved for floating bodies than for immersed bodies because
the center of buoyancy may take different positions with respect to the center of gravity,
depending on the shape of the body and the position in which it is floating. For example, consider
the cross-section of a ship shown. Here the center of gravity G is above the center of buoyancy
C. Therefore, at first glance it would appear that the ship is unstable and could flip over. However,
notice the position of C and G after the ship has taken a small angle of heel. As shown in the
second figure, the center of gravity is in the same position, but the center of buoyancy has moved
outward of the center of gravity, thus producing a righting moment. A ship having such
characteristic is stable.

Prepared by: Engr. Joseph P. Sicadsicad

Distance from the Metacenter to the Center of Buoyancy (MBo)
0
𝑀𝐵( = 1
& 345 6

Where: M = Metacenter

G = Center of Gravity

BO = Center of Buoyancy

VD = Volume Displaced

MBo = Distance from the Metacenter to the Center of Buoyancy

MG = Metacentric Height

𝜃 = Angle of Tilt

MBo > GBO; Stable

MBo < GBO; Unstable

MBo = GBO; Stable (Critical)

PRACTICE:

1. A block of wood 30 cm square in cross section and 60 cm long weighs 318 N. Will the block float with sides
vertical?

2. A block of wood (s = 0.64) is in a shape of a rectangular parallelepiped having a 10 cm square base. If the
block floats in salt water with its base horizontal, what is the maximum height for stable equilibrium in the
upright position?

3. A regular scow, 9 m wide, 15 m long, and 3.6 m high has a draft of 2.4 m in seawater. Its center of gravity is
2.7 m above its bottom.
A) Determine the initial metacentric height
B) If the scow tilts one side is just at the point of submergence, determine the righting or
overturning moment

4. A plastic cube of side x and sp. gr. 0.84 is placed vertically in water. Is the cube stable?

5. A barge 20 ft. wide and 50 ft. long is loaded with rocks. Assume that the center of gravity of the rocks and
the barge is located along the centerline at the top surface of the barge. If the rocks and the barge weigh
400,000 lb., will the barge float upright or tip over?
6. A floating body has a square cross section with side w. The center of gravity is at the centroid of the cross
section. Find the location of the waterline, l/w, where the body would be neutrally stable (GM = 0). If the
body is floating in water, what would be the specific gravity of the body material?

Prepared by: Engr. Joseph P. Sicadsicad