HYDROSTATIC FORCES

A.
Consider a plane surface submerged in a body of fluid, which is inclined by a certain
F, consider an
element of area and assume to be horizontal in position so that the pressure is
uniform over the entire area.
y
L.S.

dF = p dA ;

where: p = h = h y
h dF x
F = hp

yp
F
F=
e
dA

F = hA c.g
c.p

F(yp) F dA)(y)
where:
( )yp = 2
dA ;
F = resultant hydrostatic force
h = vertical distance from L.S. to c.g.
p) = Ix ; of submerged area
A = area of submerged plane surface.
yp = (Io 2
o = inclined dist. from intersection of
L.S. and axis of the area to its center
Io of gravity
yp e= e = dist. from c.g. to c.p.(eccentricity)
Io = centroidal moment of inertia of
submerged area
Io For Common Geometric Shapes

2h/3 r
h h D
h/2 r
h/3

b b

a. Rectangle Io = bh3/12 b. Triangle Io = bh3/36 c. Circle Io = r4/4

b
r a x
4r/3 4r/3

D = 2r r

d. Semi-circle Io = 0.11r4 e. Quarter-circle Io = 0.055r4 f. Ellipse

Iox = ab3/4
Ioy = ba3/4

Case 1: Fluid is above the curve surface:

D C
Fh = hA
Fv
Fv = wt. of fluid above curve surface h
F
A
Fv = VABCD cg

cg
F = resultant hydrostatic force e
Fh
cp

F = F h 2 + F v2 n-1(Fv/Fh)
B
CASE 2: Fluid is below the curve surface:

Fh = hA D C

Fv = wt. of imaginary fluid above curve surface

cg h
B
Fv = VABCD
cg
Fh e
cp
F = resultant hydrostatic force A

F= Fh2 + Fv2 tan-1(Fv/Fh) F

Fv

BUOYANCY (ARCHIMEDES PRINCIPLE)

Any body immersed in fluid is subjected by an upward force ( ) equal to
the .

Proof: L.S.
Consider a cube
fluid. The horizontal components of the hydrostatic force will F1
cancel since the vertical projection of the sides are equal. h1
The upper face is subjected by a downward force equal to h2
the weight of fluid above it and the lower face is subjected a
by an upward force equal to the weight of the imaginary
fluid above. These forces are not in equilibrium (neglecting a
the weight of cube) and produce an unbalance force, which
is termed as the . a

v = F2 F1 = unbalanced upward force = BF F2

BF = p2A2 p1A1 = h2(a2) h1(a2) = a2(h2 h1) ; where h2 h1 = a

= a2(a) = a3 ; where a3 = volume of displaced fluid

BF = ( ) = VD
note: For floating object of uniform cross-section:

Sbody
D= H L.S.
Sliquid
H
D
Sbody Vs
Vs = V
Sliquid

Steps in Solving Buoyancy Problem:

1. Identify all the forces involved and draw FBD.
2. Apply the conditions of equilibrium.
( v )
3. Solve for the required unknown.