DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS AND

SIMILARITY

 In most experiments, to save time and money, tests are

performed on a geometrically scaledmodel, rather than on
the full-scaleprototype.
Two pertinent questions arise out of this situation:1. How can we apply the laboratory results to the actual problem at a
different set of conditions
2. large no. of experiments need to be carried out to find the
influence of each and every operating variable

Is it possible to reduce the no. of experiments to a lesser one(

like by varying one or two parameters ,we can predict the all
the other operating parameters)

Geometric similarity

Geometrically similar objects are similar in their shapes, i.e.,

proportionate in their physical dimensions, but differ in size.

Model need not be necessarily smaller than the prototype

Problems in achieving perfect geometric similarity are:

The surface roughness

might not be reduced
according to the scale
factor.
Physics of the problem
may change

Kinematic Similarity

Dynamic similarity : similarity of

forces

The magnitudes of forces at correspondingly similar points in

each system are in a fixed ratio.

pressure, gravity, friction or viscosity, elasticity and surface

tension.

The values of the dimensionless parameters are held to be

the same to ensure dynamic similitude between the model
and the application

Dimensions of Physical
Quantities
Dimension:A measure of a physical quantity (without
numerical values).
Unit:A way to assign anumberto that dimension.
There are sevenprimary dimensions(also called
fundamentalorbasic dimensions):mass, length, time,
temperature, electric current, amount of light, and
amount of matter.
Dimensions of Stress
Dimensions of Viscosity

Buckingham-Pi method of
dimensional Analysis
1.

List all the variables involved(n)

2.

Select a set of primary dimensions(m).

3.

List the dimensions of all variables in terms of primary dimensions.

4.

Select a number of repeating variables equal to the number of primary dimensions, m, including all the
primary dimensions.

5.

Write the parameters in terms of the unknown exponents and write the equations so that the sum of
exponents is zero. Solve the equation to obtain n-m dimensionless group.

6.

Check if each group obtained is dimensionless.

Guidelines for Choosing

Repeating Parameters
1. Never pick the dependent variable. Otherwise, it may appear in all
the s.
2. Chosen repeating parameters must not by themselves be able to
form a dimensionless group. Otherwise, it would be impossible to
generate the rest of the s.
3. Chosen repeating parameters must represent all the primary
dimensions.
4. Never pick parameters that are already dimensionless.
5. Never pick two parameters with the same dimensions or with
dimensions that differ by only an exponent.
6. Repeating variable should contain at least one :Geometric property : Length, Diameter, Height, Area, volume
Flow Property : Velocity, Acceleration
Fluid Property : Viscosity, Density, sp. gravity

7. Pick simple parameters over complex parameters

Summary of Buckingham-pi method

Repeating
Variables

Set of pi Terms
1

V,D,
V,D,
D, ,
V, ,
NOTE:1. Any Pi term may be replaced by the term raised to any
exponent
2. Any Pi term may be replaced by multiplying it by a numerical
constant