De La Salle University

Civil Engineering Department

Computer Application
In Civil Engineering
(LBYCIVI)
EH2 (1800-2100)
Tuesday

Project #2
Static Forces on Plane Surfaces

CAUNGA, Jan Rafael G. (CIV-HWR)

CHING, Arlen Mico A. (CIV-HWR)
ESTACIO, Robin A. (CIV-HWR)

Dr. Andres Oreta

Professor
I. Objectives of the Program
1. To be able to integrate the concepts from Civil Engineering Fluid Mechanics with
the use of MS Visual Basic 6.0 commands and statements.
2. To be able to solve the following outputs:
 Hydrostatic force
 Location of hydrostatic force from the bottom surface
 Minimum force needed to lift the gate
 Fluid pressure at any depth

II. Derivation and Summary of all equations used

For the Rectangular Cross-Section:

Hydrostatic Force:
h
h o=[ sin θ ]+d o
2
Pcg = po + ( γ∗ho )
F=Pcg∗( b h )

Location of Hydrostatic Force from the Bottom Surface:

Area=base x h eigh t
b h3
I=
12
F
h́= ( )
γ∗A
( h́ )
ý=
sin θ
I
e=
A ý
h
( )
x= sin θ −( e sinθ )
2

Minimum Force needed to lift the Gate:

h
X =e+( )
2
( F∗X )
P=
h cos θ

Total Depth:
Total Dept h=d o +[h sin θ]
 Total Fl uid Pressure=Po+(γ∗total dept h)

For the Triangular Cross-Section:

Hydrostatic Force:
2h
h o=[ sin θ]+ d o
3
Pcg = po + ( γ∗ho )

F=Pcg∗ ( b2h )
Location of Hydrostatic Force from the Bottom Surface:
1
Area= (base x h eig h t)
2
b h3
I=
36
F
h́=( γ∗A )
h́
ý=
sin θ
I
e=
A ý
h
( )
x= sin θ −( e sinθ )
3

Minimum Force needed to lift the Gate:

2h
X =e+( )
3
( F∗X )
P=
h cos θ

Total Depth:
Total dept h=d o +[h sin θ]
Total fluid pressure=Po+(γ∗total dept h)
For the Circular Cross-Section:
Hydrostatic Force:
d
h o=[ sin θ]+ d o
2
PCG = po + ( γ∗ho )
π d2
F=Pcg∗ ( )
4

Location of Hydrostatic Force from the Bottom Surface:

π d2
Area=
4
4
πr
I=
4
F
h́= ( )
γ∗A
( h́ )
ý=
sin θ
I
e=
A ý

x= (( d2 ) sin θ )−( e sinθ )

Minimum Force needed to lift the Gate:
d
X =e+( )
2
( F∗X )
P=
d cos θ

Total Depth:
Total dept h=d o +[ d sin θ]
 Total fluid pressure=Po+(γ∗total dept h)

III. Description of GUI and sample inputs & outputs

At the start of the opening of the executable file of the program, a

welcome message box will appear and the Menu (see Figure 1) will follow
through. In the Menu window, the figure of the problem can be seen as well as the
objects that can be chosen as the plane surface of the gate. The objects are:
Rectangular (see Figure 2), Triangular (see Figure 3), and Circular (see Figure
4). After choosing the desired plane surface by clicking the option button, clicking
the ENTER button will move to the window of the selected object.

On one of the object window, the Rectangular Cross-Section for

example, has its INPUTS, OUTPUTS, as well as other buttons for the programs.
The INPUTS include Po, do, θ, γ, and b & h (or d for Circular) for the dimension
of the plane surface of the gate. On the other hand, the OUTPUTS are: F, location
of F acting on the gate, minimum P needed to lift the gate, and the fluid
pressure at any depth with the use of scroll bar. The inputs and outputs will be
flashed on its respected elements in the included figure of the problem as well as
the selected object. The included buttons in the object window are: COMPUTE,
Clear Input Values, Clear Output Values, Go Back to Menu, and EXIT. The
COMPUTE button solves for the output values, the Clear Input Values button
erase the values in the INPUTS part as well as the flashed values in the figure
area, the Clear Output Values button erase the values in the OUTPUTS part as
well as the flashed values in the figure area, the Go Back to Menu button hides
the current object window and moves back into the Menu window to choose for
other plane surfaces of the gate. The EXIT button basically shuts off the program.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
IV. Sample run compared with sample computations using the equations in II.

Sample Computation:

For the Rectangular Cross-Section:

Given:
Po = 0
do = 0.8660254038 m
θ = 60̊
γ = 9.81 kN/m3
b=1m
h=3m
Hydrostatic Force:
3
h o=[ sin 60]+ 0.8660254038
2
h o=1.5
Pcg =0+ ( 9.81∗1.5 )=21.239
F=Pcg∗( b h ) =63.718

Location of Hydrostatic Force from the Bottom Surface:

Area=base x h eigh t
b h3
I= =2.25
12
F
h́= ( )
γ∗A
=¿ 2.165

( h́ )
ý= = 2.500
sin θ
I
e= =0.3
A ý
h
( )
x= sin θ −( e sinθ )=1.039
2

Minimum Force needed to lift the Gate:

h
X =e+( ) = 1.8
2
( F∗X )
P= = 76.461
h cos θ

Total Depth:
Total Dept h=d o + [ h sin θ ] =3.464
 Total Fluid Pressure=Po+ ( γ∗total dept h )=33.982

For the Triangular Cross-Section:

Given:
Po = 0
do = 0.8660254038 m
θ = 60̊
γ = 9.81 kN/m3
b=1m
h=3m
Hydrostatic Force:
2∗5
h o=
3 [ ]
sin 60 +3=¿5.887

Pcg = po + ( γ∗ho ) = 57.751

F=Pcg∗ ( b2h ) = 433.118

Location of Hydrostatic Force from the Bottom Surface:
1
Area= (base x h eig h t) = 7.5
2
b h3
I= = 10.417
36
F
h́= ( γ∗A )=¿ 5.887
h́
ý= = 6.797
sin θ
I
e= = 0.204
A ý
h
( )
x= sin θ −( e sinθ )=1.266
3

Minimum Force needed to lift the Gate:

2h
X =e+( ) = 3.537
3
( F∗X )
P= = 612.889
h cos θ
 Total Depth:
Total dept h=d o + [ h sinθ ] =7.33
Total fluid pressure=Po+ ( γ∗total dept h )=71.909

For the Circular Cross-Section:

Given:
Po = 0
do = 0.8660254038 m
θ = 60̊
γ = 9.81 kN/m3
b=1m
h=3m
Hydrostatic Force:
d
h o=[ sin θ]+ d o = 6.299
2
PCG = po + ( γ∗ho ) = 65.793
π d2
F=Pcg∗ ( )
4
= 465.067

Location of Hydrostatic Force from the Bottom Surface:

π d2
Area= = 7.069
4
π r4
I= = 3.976
4
F
h́= ( )
γ∗A
= 6.706

( h́ )
ý= = 7.744
sin θ
I
e= =0.0726
A ý
d
x=
(( ) )
2
sin θ −( e sinθ )=1.236
 Minimum Force needed to lift the Gate:
d
X =e+( ) = 1.573
2
( F∗X )
P= = 487.587
d cos θ

Total Depth:
Total dept h=d o + [ d sin θ ] =7.598
Total fluid pressure=Po+ ( γ∗total depth )=78.536

Sample run of the GUI: