Lecture 2c:
Horizontal Pressure Forces on Vertical
Surfaces
Calculating Horizontal Pressure Forces
Assume we have a
rectangular gate of
height H, and width B
(into the page), and
some thickness t.
The fluid (water)
surface is at the top
of the gate.
Distribution of
pressure, p, Gate
across height
of gate
What is the distribution of pressure across the height of
the gate?
p=0 (atmospheric)
Pressure varies
linearly with
depth in a static
fluid.
p = ρ gH
p=0 (atmospheric)
To calculate the pressure
force F in the horizontal
or x-direction acting on
the gate, we integrate the
pressure distribution over
the area of the gate.
F= ∫ p dA
A
A = area of gate (A=HB)
p = ρ gH
Layer 1
With this integration,
we are essentially
dividing the area of the
gate into layers (of
much smaller area
dA), multiplying the
pressure acting on that
layer ’s area to get that
layer’s component to
the overall force on the
gate, and then
summing up the force
components to get the
total force on the gate.
Average pressure
over layer 1
Layer 1
The contribution to
the total force on
gate for layer 1 =
(average pressure
over layer 1)(area
of gate in layer 1
or dA)
F = ∫ p dA = ∫ ρ gh dA
A A
= ρ g ∫ h dA
A
Let the vertical distance to the centroid of the area A from the
fluid surface be h
1
h = ∫ h dA
AA
Then
F = ρ ghA = pc A
pc= pressure at the centroid of the projection of the surface
area of the submerged body in the vertical plane.
How to find h? See geometry tables.
Centroids and Moments of Inertia of Various Shapes
Ref: Table C.1: Potter, M.C., Wiggert, D.C., and Ramadan, B.H. (2017). Mechanics of Fluids, SI edition, 5th
edition. Cengage Learning, Stanford, Connecticut, USA.
For the rectangular gate, the centroid will be at half its
height h = H 2 .
H 1
pc = ρ g = ρ gH
2 2
Thus: 1
F = pc A = ρ gH (HB)
2
1
F = ρ gH B
2
2
Key Concepts (Horizontal Pressure Force)
• The pressure force on the object in the horizontal
direction is simply the pressure at the centroid of the
object times its surface area (in the vertical plane).
• The pressure at the centroid of an area is equivalent to
the average pressure acting on that area.
• You use the pressure at the centroid of the area to find
the average pressure on that area, but that is NOT where
the force due to that pressure is going to act.
Where does a horizontal pressure force act on a
vertical surface?
• The pressure force acts
through the centroid of the
pressure distribution.
• For a triangular pressure
F distribution, the centroid of the
pressure distribution is at
2/3H from top.
For a vertical surface, we define the centre of pressure,
hp , as the vertical distance from the fluid surface to the
centre of pressure on the body.
hp F = ∫ hp dA
A
hp F = ∫ h( ρ gh) dA = ρ g ∫ h2 dA second
A A moment of
area about
hp F = ρ gI x x-axis, Ix
2
second moment
but I x = I + Ah of area about the
centroidal axis
2
hp F = ρ g(I + Ah )
Substitute for F:
2
hp ( ρ gh) A = ρ g(I + Ah )
Solving for the centre of pressure, hp:
2
ρ g(I + Ah )
hp =
ρ ghA
or I
hp = +h
hA
For the case of the gate: I
hp = +h
hA
3
BH
I=
hp 12
A = BH
h= H /2
F
BH 3 / 12 1
hp = + H
1/ 2H(HB) 2
hp = 2 / 3H
Example 2c-1: Force on Gate
____________________________________________
Calculate the force on a vertical gate 2 m high by 3 m wide,
where the water level just reaches the top of the gate.
Example 2c-2: Force on Gate 2
___________________________________________
Calculate the force on a vertical gate 2 m high by 3 m wide,
where the water level is 1 m above the top of the gate.
