Hydrostatic Forces on Surfaces and Buoyancy Tutorial

1. Determine the total pressure on a circular plate of diameter 1.5 m which is placed vertically in
such a way that the centre of the plate is 3 m below the free surface of water. Find the position
of the centre of pressure also. [F = 52002.81 N, hCP = 3.0468 m]

2. A circular plate 3.0 m in diameter is immersed in water in such a way that its greatest and
least depth below the free surface are 4 m and 1.5 m respectively. Determine the total
pressure on one face of the plate and the position of the centre of pressure [F = 190621 N, hCP
= 2.891 m]

3. If in the above question (question 8), the given circular plate has a concentric circular hole of
diameter 1.5 m, then calculate the total pressure and position of the centre of pressure on one
face of the plate [F = 143.018 kN, hCP = 2.927 m]

4. A vertical sluice gate is used to cover an opening in a dam. The opening is 2 m wide and 1.2
m high. On the upstream of the gate, the liquid of SG = 1.45, lies up to a height of 1.5 m
above the top of the gate, whereas on the downstream side, the water is available up to a
height touching the top of the gate. Find the resultant force acting on the gate and the position
of the centre of pressure. Find also the force acting horizontally at the top of the gate capable
of opening it. Assume that the gate is hinged at the bottom. [F = 57565 N, hCP = 0.578 m
above the hinge, F = 27725.5 N]

5. A caisson for closing the entrance to a dry dock is of trapezoidal form 16 m wide at the top
and 10 m wide at the bottom and 6 m deep. Find the total pressure and centre of pressure on
the caisson if the water on the outside is just level with the top and the dock is empty [F =
2.118783 MN, hCP = 3.833 m]

6. A cubical tank has sides of 1.5 m. It contains water for the lower 0.6 m depth. The upper
remaining part is filled with oil pf SG = 0.9. calculate for one vertical side of the tank;
a. Total pressure and [15163.8 N]
b. Position of centre of pressure [1.005 m from A]

7. A rectangular is hinged r gate 5 m x 2 m is hinged at its base and inclined at 60 ° to horizontal

as shown in the figure. To keep the gate stable, a counterweight of 500 kgf is attached at the
upper end of the gate. Find the depth of water at which the gate begins to fall. Neglect the
weight of the gate and friction at the hinge and pulley. [3.83 m]
8. An inverted cone is placed in a water tank as shown. If the weight of the cone is 16.5 N, what
is the tensile force in the cord connecting the cone to the bottom of the tank? [20 N]

9. The hull of a boat has a volume of 180 m3, and the total mass of the boat when empty is 8560
kg. Determine how much load this boat can carry without sinking
(a) in a lake and [171 500 kg]
(b) in seawater with a specific gravity of 1.03. [176 900 kg]

10. A water tank is being towed on an uphill road that makes 14° with horizontal with a constant
acceleration of 3.5 m/s2 in the direction of motion. Determine the angle the free surface of
water makes with the horizontal. What would your answer be if the direction of motion were
downward on the same road with the same acceleration? [θ = 17.7° , θ = -20.8° ]

11. A rectangular tank of length 6 m, width 2.5 m and height 2 m is filled with water when at rest.
The tank is open at the top. The tank is subjected to a horizontal constant linear acceleration
of 2.4 m/s2 in the direction of its length. find the volume of water spilled from the tank.
[11.007 m3]