Al-Mansour University College

Civil Engineering Department

Second Year/ 2017-2018 ) 5 ( ‫الــمــحــاضــرة رقــم‬

FLUID MECHANICS
CHAPTER- 3 / FLUID STATIC

.Ahmed Layth, R.E., M.S

 Hydrostatic Pressures and Forces on Submerged Plane Surfaces
1. On horizontal planes:
The pressure on a horizontal plane surface is uniform over the surface
because the depth of the fluid above is uniform.
The resultant of the pressure distribution 
acts through the center of pressure of the
surface, which corresponds to the centroid F
of the surface.

L
It is not always correct to calculate the vertical force on a submerged surface
as the weight of the fluid above it.
Such an approach works only when
there is no change in the cross-
sectional area of the fluid above
the surface.
This is a direct result of the
hydrostatic paradox.
2. On vertical planes:  

The pressure distribution will be triangular because the pressure increases

linearly with depth.
a. The vertical plane surface extends to the surface:

Prove?

h
F
h

The resultant of the pressure distribution passes through the centroid of the
pressure distribution.
2. On vertical planes:  

b. the vertical plane surface does not extend to the surface:

Prove?

. h
F

The resultant of the pressure distribution passes through the centroid of the
pressure distribution.
3. On inclined rectangular planes:  

The average pressure and resultant force on an inclined rectangular plane

surface are calculated in the same manner as for the vertical plane surface.
a. the plane surface extends to the surface:

Prove?

The resultant of the pressure distribution passes through the centroid of the
pressure distribution.
3. On inclined rectangular planes:  

b. the vertical plane surface does not extend to the surface:

Prove?

As with a vertical plane surface, the resultant acts at the centroid of the
pressure distribution, not at the average depth.
Example (9)
Calculate the force quantity and location for the figure shown below.

6m
3m
Example (10)
Gate AB in the figure below is 1.5 m wide into the paper, hinged at A, and
restrained by a stop at B. The water is at 20°C. Compute (a) the force on stop
B and (b) the reactions at A if the water depth h = 3 m.
Example (11)
Gate ABC in the figure below has a fixed hinge line at B and is 2 m wide into
the paper. The gate will open at A to release water if the water depth is high
enough. Compute the depth h for which the gate will begin to open.
Use W = 3.13 kN for gate AB and neglect buoyancy force.
Example (12)
The circular gate ABC in the figure below has a 1 m radius and is hinged at B.
Compute the force P just sufficient to keep the gate from opening when h = 8
m. Neglect atmospheric pressure.
Example (13)  
Gate AB has length 6 m, width 2 m into the paper, is hinged at B, and has
negligible weight. The water level 3 m remains at the top of the gate for any
angle. Find the force P required to keep the gate in equilibrium in the figure
below.