LECTURE NOTE 6: HYDRAULICS

3. Unstable Equilibrium
A floating body in equilibrium is supported by a
buoyant force which is equal, opposite to and along
the same line of action as its gravity force or weight.
• If the floating body continues moving
in the direction of the displaced
motion, the floating body will be
unstable or in unstable equilibrium.
• This condition is possible when the
center of buoyancy Bo is below the
center of gravity.

(a) Equilibrium Position

Symbols and Notations:

W = weight of the floating body
G = center of gravity
FB = buoyant force
BO = Center of buoyancy
M = metacenter
MG = metacentric height (b) Condition for stable equilibrium
EQUILIBRIUM CONDITIONS OF FLOATING
BODIES
1. Stable Equilibrium
• A floating body is in stable equilibrium
if it will be restored back to its original
position after having been slightly
displaced, either linearly or
rotationally.
• The stable equilibrium will always be
maintained if the position of the
center of gravity G of the floating
body is below the center of buoyancy
Bo.
(c) Condition for unstable equilibrium
2. Neutral Equilibrium
• In particular, a homogeneous cylinder
or sphere having the center of gravity
at its centroid will float in a condition
of neutral equilibrium and will always
remain in any given position unless
displaced and will not recover from
any rotational displacement.
• The buoyant force and the weight will
always be concurrent and the sum of
their moments is always zero, thus,
there can never be a restoring
moment nor an overturning moment.
ENGR. AUGOSTO D. FRACE, ME-CE 1
LECTURE NOTE 6: HYDRAULICS
METACENTRIC HEIGHT, RESTORING OR EXERCISE PROBLEMS
UPSETTING MOMENT
Problem 1:
A scow having a rectangular section both
transversely and longitudinal is 16 m long by 10 m
wide by 4 m deep and floats in fresh water with a
draft of 2.70 m. If the center of gravity of the scow is
along the axis of symmetry at a distance of 3 m
above the bottom. Determine the restoring or
upsetting moment when the scow is heeled until one
of its longitudinal sides is at its point of
submergence.
Problem 2
A rectangular parallelepiped solid block of wood
weighs 6290 N/m^3 having a 10 cm square base. If
the block floats in fresh water with the base
horizontal, what is the maximum height for stable
Moment developed due to shifting of Bo and B’o
equilibrium in the upright position?
FB S = ∆ FB L
Problem 3:
γVS=δvL
The cylinder has a diameter of 75 mm and a mass of
S = MBO sin θ 600 g. If it is placed in the tank, which contains oil
and water, determine the height above the surface
vL
MBO = of the oil at which it will float if maintained in the
V sin θ vertical position.
For small angles, θ = sin θ = tan θ
vL
MBO =
Vθ
vL
I=
θ
I
MBO =
V
I = moment of inertia of the waterline section of the Problem 4:
ship about its perpendicular axis through O.
A ship of 39,140 kN displacement floats in sea water
For rectangular parallelepiped with its axis of symmetry vertical when a weight of
490 kN is midship. Moving the weight 3 m toward
one side of the deck causes a plumb bob,
suspended at the end of a string 4 m long, to move
24 cm. Find the metacentric height.
Problem 5:
The figure shown is a scow with a derrick with a
boom 5.5 m long. What is the maximum weight could
be picked by the boom at its end long the longitudinal
side in order that water will not enter into the scow
2 2 Assume weight of the boom to be negligible and
B B tan2 θ consider its position to be always horizontal.
MBO = +
12D 24 D
Metacentric Height
MG = MBO ± GBO
Restoring Moment or Upsetting Moment
R.M. (or U.M.) = W X
R.M. (or U.M.) = W (MG sin θ)

ENGR. AUGOSTO D. FRACE, ME-CE 2