CHAPTER 5

Dimensional Analysis

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5.1 INTRODUCTION
 Dimensional analysis is a method for
reducing the number and complexity of
experimental variables.
 If a phenomenon depends upon n
dimensional variables, dimensional
analysis will reduce the problem to only
k dimensionless variables, where the
reduction n-k=1, 2, 3, or 4, depending
upon the problem complexity.

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5.1 INTRODUCTION…
 Generally n-k equals the number of
different dimensions (sometimes called
basic or primary or fundamental
dimensions).
 In fluid mechanics, the four basic
dimensions are
 MLT system or
 FLT system.

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5.1 INTRODUCTION…
 Dimensional analysis has other benefits
in addition to reducing number of
variables.
a. Enormous savings in time and money.
Suppose one knew that the force F on a
particular body immersed in a stream of
fluid depended only on the body length
L, stream velocity V, fluid density ρ, and
fluidFviscosity  , that
 f ( L,V , , ) is,
(5.1)

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5.1 INTRODUCTION…

Fig. 5.1 Illustrative plots showing how the force is affected by different
factors

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5.1 INTRODUCTION…
However, with dimensional analysis, equation
(5.1) can be reduced to
F  VL 
 g  
V L   
2 2

(5.2)
 C F  g (Re)

F/(ρV2L2) is force coefficient and ρVL/

Reynolds number.
The function g is different mathematically
from the original function f, but it contains
all the same information.
Nothing is lost in a dimensional analysis.

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5.1 INTRODUCTION…
b. It helps our thinking and planning for an
experiment or theory.
It suggests dimensionless ways of writing
equations before we waste money on
computer time to find solutions.
It suggests variables which can be discarded;
sometimes dimensional analysis will
immediately reject variables, and at other
times it groups them off to the side, where a
few simple tests will show them to be
unimportant.
Finally, dimensional analysis will often give a
great deal of insight into the form of the
physical relationship
5. Dimensional Analysis
we are trying to study.
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5.1 INTRODUCTION…
c. It provides scaling laws.
Dimensional analysis provides scaling laws
which can convert data from a cheap, small
model to design information for an
expensive, large prototype.
As an example, we do not build a million-
dollar airplane and see whether it has
enough lift force.
We measure the lift on a small model and use
a scaling law to predict the lift on the full-
scale prototype airplane.

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5.1 INTRODUCTION…
When the scaling law is valid, we say that a
condition of similarity exists between the
model and the prototype.
In the simple case of equation (5.1), similarity
is achieved if the Reynolds number is the
same for the model and prototype because
the function g then requires the force
coefficient to be the same also:
Re m Re p  C Fm C Fp (5.3)
where subscripts m and p mean model and
prototype, respectively.

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5.2 THE PRINCIPLE OF
DIMENSIONAL HOMOGENEITY
 “If an equation truly expresses a proper
relationship between variables in a
physical process, it will be dimensionally
homogeneous; i.e., each of its additive
terms will have the same dimensions.”
 Consider the displacement of a falling
body S S  V t  1 gt 2
o o 2
(5.4)
Each term has dimension {L}.

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5.2 THE PRINCIPLE OF
DIMENSIONAL HOMOGENEITY…
 Consider also the Bernoulli’s equation
for incompressible flow
p 1 2
 2 V  gz const (5.5)

Each term has dimensions {L2T-2}.
 The above equations illustrate some
other factors that often enter into a
dimensional analysis:

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5.2 THE PRINCIPLE OF
DIMENSIONAL HOMOGENEITY…
1.Dimensional variables ; S and t (p, V, z).
2.Dimensional constants; S0, V0, and g, (ρ,
g, and C).
3.Pure constants (½ and the exponent 2).
 There are some physical variables that are
naturally dimensionless by virtue of their
definition as ratios of dimensional
quantities. –strain, Poisson’s ratio, specific
gravity…
 All angles are dimensionless.

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5.3 BUCKINGHAM PI
THEOREM
 Is one of the methods of reducing a
number of dimensional variables to less
number of dimensionless groups.
 The dimensionless groups found from
the theorem are power products
denoted by 1, 2, 3, etc.
 The method allows the pis to be found
in sequential order without resorting to
free exponents.

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5.3 BUCKINGHAM PI
THEOREM…
 If a physical process satisfies the
principle of dimensional homogeneity
and involves n dimensional variables, it
can be reduced to a relation between
only k dimensionless variables or ’s.
 The reduction j = n- k equals the
maximum number of variables which do
not form a pi among themselves and is
always less than or equal to the number
of dimensions describing the variables.

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5.3 BUCKINGHAM PI
THEOREM…
 Once the reduction j is found, then j
scaling variables which do not form a pi
among themselves will be selected.
 Each desired pi group will be a power
product of these j variables plus one
additional variable which is assigned
any convenient nonzero exponent.
 Each pi group thus found is
independent.

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5.3 BUCKINGHAM PI
THEOREM…
Quantity Symbol Dimensions
MLT FLT
Length L L L
Area A L2 L2
Volume V L3 L3
Velocity V LT-1 LT-1
Acceleration dV/dt LT-2 LT-2
Speed of sound a LT-1 LT-1
Volume flow Q L3T-1 L3T-1
Mass flow dm/dt MT-1 FTL-1
Pressure, stress p,  ML-1T-2 FL-2
Strain rate d/dt T-1 T-1
Angle  None None
Angular velocity  T-1 T-1
Viscosity  ML-1T-1 FTL-2
Kinematic viscosity  L2T-1 L2T-1
Surface tension  MT-2 FL-1
Force F MLT-2 F
Moment, torque M ML2T-2 FL
Power P ML2T–3 FLT-1
Work, energy W,E ML2T-2 FL
Density ρ ML–3 FT2L–4
Temperature T  
Specific heat cp, cv L2T-2-1 L2T-2-1
Specific weight  ML–2T-2 FL-3
Thermal conductivity k MLT –3-1 FT-1-1
Expansion coefficient  -1 -1

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5.3 BUCKINGHAM PI
THEOREM…
 There are in general six steps involved
when converting dimensional relations
in to non dimensional ones:
1.List and count the n variables involved in
the problem. If any important variables
are missing, dimensional analysis will fail.
2.List the dimensions of each variable
according to {MLT} or {FLT}.
3.Find the reduction j. Initially guess j equal
to the number of different dimensions
present, and look for j variables which do
not form a pi product. If no luck, reduce j
by 1 and look again. With practice, you
will find 5.j Dimensional
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5.3 BUCKINGHAM PI
THEOREM…
4.Select j scaling parameters which do not
form a pi product. Make sure they please
you and have some generality if possible,
because they will then appear in every
one of your pi groups. Pick density or
velocity or length.
5.Add one additional variable to your j
repeating variables, and form a power
product. Algebraically find the exponents
which make the product dimensionless.
6.Write the final dimensionless function, and
check your work to make sure all pi groups
are dimensionless.
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5.4 NONDIMENSIONALIZATION
OF THE BASIC EQUATIONS
 The concept of dimensional analysis can
be used to reveal basic dimensionless
parameters, e.g., Reynolds number, in
their proper form and proper position,
giving clues to when they are negligible
in the differential equations governing
fluid flow.
 Let us briefly apply this technique to the
incompressible-flow continuity and
momentum equations with constant
viscosity:

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5.4 NONDIMENSIONALIZATION
OF THE BASIC EQUATIONS…
 Continuity: .V 0 (5.6a)
dV
 Momentum: dt   g  p  2
V (5.6b)
 Equations (5.6) contain the three basic
dimensions M, L, and T. All variables p,
V, x, y, z, and t can be
nondimensionalized by using density
and two reference constants which
might be characteristic of the particular
fluid flow:
 Reference velocity = U ,Reference
length = L
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5.4 NONDIMENSIONALIZATION
OF THE BASIC EQUATIONS…
 Now define all relevant dimensionless
variables, denoting them by an asterisk:
V
V* 
U
x* 
x
y* 
y
z* 
z (5.7)
L L L
tU p  ρgz
t*  p* 
L ρU 2

 Since ρ, U, and L are all constants, the

derivatives in equations (5.6) can all be
handled in dimensionless form with
dimensional coefficients.

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5.4 NONDIMENSIONALIZATION
OF THE BASIC EQUATIONS…
 For example,
u Uu * U u *
 
x Lx * L x *
 Substitute the variables from equations
(5.7) into equations (5.6) and divide
through by the leading dimensional
coefficient.
 The resulting dimensionless equations
* .V* 0
of motion are:
dV *  2
 * p *  * V *
 Continuity: dt * UL (5.8a)
1
 Momentum:  * p *  * V *
Re
(5.8b) 2

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5.4 NONDIMENSIONALIZATION
OF THE BASIC EQUATIONS…
 The nondimensional momentum
equation (5.8a) contains the famous
Reynolds number, which is defined as
the ratio of inertia force to viscous force.
 As it can be seen from equation (5.8b),
the viscous force becomes negligible for
high Reynolds number.

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EXAMPLE 5.1
 The pressure difference p across an
explosion or blast wave is a function of
the distance r from the blast center,
time t, speed of sound a of the medium,
and total energy E in the blast. Rewrite
this relation in dimensionless form. How
does p change if E is doubled?

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SOLUTION
Step 1: Write the function and count
variables (find n).
p=f(r,t,a,E) n=5
Step 2: List dimensions of each variable.
p r t a E
ML-1T-2 L T LT-1 ML2T-2

Step 3: Find j.
There are three basic dimensions (MLT)
and j is less or equal to 3. The variables
r, t and E do not form pi group and j=3.
Then k=n-j=5-3=2.
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SOLUTION…
 Step 5: find the pi groups.
 Thefirst pi group can be obtained by adding
the variable a with power of 1 to the
repeating variables selected in step 4.
1=rxtyEza
 For
1 to be dimensionless, the following
should be fulfilled.
(L)x(T)y(ML2T-2)z(LT-1)=M0L0T0
 Collecting powers of similar terms
Mass: z=0; Length:x+2Z+1=0 x=-1
1 ta
Time: y-2z-1=0 y=1   1 r ta 
r
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SOLUTION…
 The second pi group can be obtained by
adding the variable p with power of 1 to
the repeating variables.
2=rxtyEzp
 For 2 to dimensionless,
(L)x(T)y(ML2T-2)z(ML-1T-
2
)=M0L0T0
 Collecting powers of similar terms
Mass: z+1=0 z=-1
Length: x+2Z-1=0 3
x=-2z+1=3
3 1 pr
  2 r E y-2z-2=0
Time: p  y=2z+2=0
E
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SOLUTION…
 Step 6: Final dimensionless function
 Then one pi group is a function of the other,
 2  f  1 
pr 3  ta 
 f 
E  r
E  ta 
 p  3 f  
r  r

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