3.

Fluid Statics

3. Fluid Statics
3.1 Definition of Fluids and Viscosity

3.2 Pressure at a Point : Pascal’s Law

3.3 Pressure Distribution in a Static

Fluid under Gravity

3. Fluid Statics
3.1 Definition of Fluids and Viscosity

 A fluid is a substance that deforms conti

nuously under the action of an applied sh
ear forces, or stress,F of a
 magnitude
ny F/A .

▲ Fig. 3.1
3. Fluid Statics
 Q : What is the difference between solid
and fluid?

 A : For a constant shear force or shears

the deformation of solid, the shear angle,
is constant, but for the fluid the time rate
of the shear angle is constant.

solid : fluid :
 ( )  ( )

3. Fluid Statics
 Consequence of the fluid deformation

1. Fluid can be at rest, only when no shearing

stress acts.

2. Fluid can resist shear only when moving.

3. Fluid Statics
 What is viscosity?

Viscosity is a fluid property which indicates how

high is the deformation rate(shear rate), of a

fluid for a given shear stress,  :   f ( )

• For Newtonian fluids : a linear relation

between and , ,
    du / dy

• For non-Newtonian fluids : non-linear,

 ( )

3. Fluid Statics
▲ Fig. 3.2

▲ Fig. 3.3
3. Fluid Statics
 3.2 Pressure at a Point:Pascal’s Law

 According to the deformation of fluids there are no s

hear stresses acting on fluid elements at rest.

Therefore, on the surfaces of a fluid element at rest o

f any shape only normal stresses can be present.
The surface force from the normal stress on a fluid el
ement at rest under gravity must be in equilibrium wit
h the volume force of the fluid element due to the gr
avity.

3. Fluid Statics
 From this equilibrium the Pascal’s law results :

“ The pressure at any point in a fluid at rest

has a single value, independent of direction.
”

Pressure is a scalar quantity

3. Fluid Statics
 ◀ Fig. 3.4

The equation of motion in the y and z direction are,

From geometry,

3. Fluid Statics
The equation of motion can be rewritten as

We take the limit as x, y and z approach zero

 The pressure at a point in a fluid at rest, or in motio

n, is independent of direction as long as there are no
shearing stresses present. –Pascal’s Law

3. Fluid Statics
 3.3 Pressure Distribution
in a Static Fluid under Gravity

 If we let the pressure at the center of

the element be designated as p, then
the average pressure on the various
forces can be expressed as Fig. 3.5.
We are using a Taylor series expansion
of the pressure at the element center.

or

▲ Fig. 3.5
3. Fluid Statics
The resultant surface force acting on the element can be expressed in
vector form as

or (3.1)

The group on terms in parentheses in Eq. 3.1 represent in vector form the pr
essure gradient

where

The symbol  is the gradient or “del” vector operator. Thus,

Since the z axis is vertical, the weight of element is

Newton’s second law, applied to the fluid element, can be expressed

or
Therefore, (3.2)
3. Fluid Statics
 Incompressible Fluid
Changes in  are caused either by a change in  or g . For
most engineering applications the variation in g is negligible, so
our main concern is with the possible variation in the fluid
density. For liquids the variation in density usually negligible so
that the assumption of constant specific weight when dealing
with liquids is good one.

or (3.3)

Where p1 and p2 are pressure at the vertical elevations z1 and z

2, as is illustrated in Fig. 3.5. Eq. 3.3 can be rewritten as
(3.4)

or (3.5)

3. Fluid Statics
▲ Fig. 3.6

3. Fluid Statics
3.4 Applications

3.4.1 Communicating Tube

▲ Fig. 3.7
3. Fluid Statics
3.4.2 Pascal’s Paradox

▲ Fig. 3.8

3. Fluid Statics
3.4.3 Hydraulic Jack

(3.6)

▲ Fig. 3.9

3. Fluid Statics
 3.4.4 Manometer

A) U-Tube Manometer

(3.7)

(3.8)

(3.9)

◀ Fig. 3.10

3. Fluid Statics
B) Prandtl-Manometer

(3.10)

(3.11)

◀ Fig. 3.11

3. Fluid Statics
C) Betz-Manometer

▲ Fig. 3.12

3. Fluid Statics
D) Manometer for Small Pressure Difference

(3.12)

(3.13)

(3.14)

(3.15)

▲ Fig. 3.13
3. Fluid Statics
3.4.5 Hydraulic Siphon

(3.16)

▲ Fig. 3.14
3. Fluid Statics
3.4.6 Chimney

▲ Fig. 3.15

3. Fluid Statics
3.5 Hydrostatic Force on a Plane Surface

▲ Fig. 3.16

▲ Fig. 3.17
3. Fluid Statics
 The magnitude of the resultant force can be found by summing
these differential forces over entire surface.

(3.17)
The integral is the first moment of the area with respect to the x axis

or (3.18)
 The moment of the resultant force must equal the moment of the
distributed pressure force, or
Therefore,

The integral is the second moment of the area with respect to axis
formed by the intersection of the plane surface and the free surface.

By parallel axis theorem

Thus, (3.19)

3. Fluid Statics
3.6 Buoyancy : Archimedes’ Principle

(3.20)

(3.21)

(3.22)

▲ Fig. 3.18

3. Fluid Statics
3.7 Hydrostatic Force
on a Curved Surface
(3.23)

(3.24)

▲ Fig. 3.19
3. Fluid Statics
 3.8 Aerostatics
(3.25)

The temperature variation in the troposphere (3.26)

Eq.3.27  Eq.3.26 and integrating,
(3.27)

(3.28
)
(Pc at the lower
edge of the strat
osphere Zc)

◀ Fig. 3.20
3. Fluid Statics