1

Hidayat Jamal & Zulhilmi

ismail
Hydraulics & Hydrology
Department, FKA, UTM
What is Dimensional Analysis???
A powerful & useful tool that can be used to investigate
& obtain solutions to real problems.
To condense the number of separate variables involved
in a particular type of physical system into smaller
number of non-dimensional groups of variables.
Application of Dimensional Analysis???
Form an equation from dimensional Analysis.
By using any t - term/grouping to solve the
problem.
Units and Dimension
Three (3) fundamental units and dimensions: (m = 3)
All physical parameters can be expressed in terms of
number of fundamental dimension:
Examples; Velocity, v = LT
-1
Discharge, Q = L
3
T
-1
Force, F = MLT
-2
Quantity Unit Dimension
Length m L
Time s T
Mass kg M
Fundamental quantities
(1) Geometrical
(2) Kinematic
(3) Dynamic
***For more details please refer to lecture note in TABLE
6.1 page 86.
Methods to determine the non-dimensional
group of variables
(1) The Buckingham Theorem
(2) The Repeating Variable Method
(3) The Rayleigh Method
Buckingham Pi Theorem
Known as the t - theorem
Number of physical quantities or variables equals three
or more, (n)
Provide an excellent tool by which these quantities can
be organized into smallest number of significant, non-
dimensional groupings from which an equation can be
evaluated.
Number of fundamental variable (m)
8
The drag force (N) exerted by a flowing fluid
on a body is a function of the density (kg/m
3
),
dynamic viscosity (kg/ms), velocity of the fluid
(m/s) and a characteristics length of the body
(m). Develop a general equation?
Example 1
9
Solution
(1) List the variables, units and dimensions
Variable Unit Dimension
F N MLT
-2
kg/m
3
ML
-3
kg/ms ML
-1
T
-1
v m/s LT
-1
L m L
n = 5 m = 3
10
(2) Number of t group n m = 5 3
= 2
u [t
1
, t
2
] = 0
(3) Select the repeating variables
(depend on number of fundamental dimension m)
L , v and

11
(4) The first t - term can be expressed at the product of the
chosen repeating variables with unknown exponent and
one other variable/quantity with power of 1.
t
1
= L
a
v
b

c
F
1
(5) Repeat for next t - term with the same repeating variables
plus one other variable
t
2
= L
a
v
b

1
12
(6) For each t - solve for the unknown exponents by
dimensional analysis.
t
1
= L
a
v
b

c
F
1
M
0
L
0
T
0
= (L)
a
(LT
-1
)
b
(ML
-3
)
c
(MLT
-2
)
1
13
T
0
0 = - b - 2
b = - 2
M
0
0 = c + 1
c = - 1

M
0
L
0
T
0
= (L)
a
(LT
-1
)
b
(ML
-3
)
c
(MLT
-2
)
1

14
L
0
0 = a + b 3c + 1
= a 2 3(-1) + 1
a = -2
t
1
= L
-2
v
-2

-1
F
1
=

2 2
L v
F

15
t
2
= L
a
v
b

1
M
0
L
0
T
0
= (L)
a
(LT
-1
)
b
(ML
-3
)
c
(ML
-1
T
-1
)
1
T
0
0 = - b - 1
b = - 1
M
0
0 = c + 1
c = - 1
16
L
0
0 = a + b 3c - 1
= a 1 3(-1) - 1
a = -1
t
2
= L
-1
v
-1

-1

1
=

v L

17
u [t
1
, t
2
] = 0

0 ,
2 2
=
(

v L v L
F

|
Repeating Variables Method
The simplest method
Same as Buckingham Pi theorem but has a different way
to solve t - term.
Number of fundamental variable (m)
Procedure:
(1) ---- (3) Follow Buckingham Pi Theorem
- List of variables
- t - term
- Repeating variable
19
(4) From eqns for M, L and T from selected repeating variables
L = L ------------ (4.1)
v = L/T T = L/v -------- (4.2)
= M/L
3
M = L
3
--------(4.3)

20
(5) Replace dimensions for each other variables with (4)
Example;

1
H
2
T
ML
F =
2
3
|
.
|

\
|
=
v
L
L L
2
2
4
v
L
L
=
2 2
v L =
1
H
2 2
v L
F

21
The force F(N) to water flow which acted on
the sluice gate are dependent on flow
velocity, v(m/s), density of water, (kg/m
3
),
dynamic viscosity, (kg/ms), wetted section
area of sluice gate, A(m
2
) and elasticity
modulus, E(kg/ms
2
). Develop a general
equation to the other variables as a function of
force, F.
Example 2
Solution
22
(1) List the variables, units and dimensions
Variable Unit Dimension
F N MLT
-2
kg/m
3
ML
-3
kg/ms ML
-1
T
-1
v m/s LT
-1
A m
2
L
2
E kg/ms
2
ML
-1
T
2
n = 6 m = 3
23
(2) Number of t group n m = 6 3
= 3
u [t
1
, t
2
, t
3
] = 0
(3) Select the repeating variables
(depend on number of fundamental dimension m)
A , v and

24
(4) The first t - term can be expressed at the product of the
chosen repeating variables with unknown exponent and
one other variable/quantity with power of 1.
t
1
= A
a1
v
b1

c1
F
(5) Repeat for next t - term with the same repeating variables
plus one other variable
t
2
= A
a2
v
b2

c2
E
25
(7) For each t - solve for the unknown exponents by
dimensional analysis.
t
1
= A
a1
v
b1

c1
F
M
0
L
0
T
0
= (L
2
)
a1
(LT
-1
)
b1
(ML
-3
)
c1
(MLT
-2
)
1
(6) Repeat for next t - term with the same repeating variables
plus one other variable
t
3
= A
a3
v
b3

c3

26
M
0
0 = c1 + 1
c1 = - 1
T
0
0 = - b1 - 2
b1 = - 2

(i) M
0
L
0
T
0
= (L
2
)
a1
(LT
-1
)
b1
(ML
-3
)
c1
(MLT
-2
)
1

27
L
0
0 = 2a1 + b1 3c1 + 1
= 2a1 2 3(-1) + 1
a = -1
t
1
= A
-1
v
-2

-1
F
=

2
v A
F

28
(ii) t
2
= A
a2
v
b2

c2
E
M
0
L
0
T
0
= (L
2
)
a2
(LT
-1
)
b2
(ML
-3
)
c2
(ML
-1
T
2
)
M
0
0 = c2 + 1
c2 = - 1
T
0
0 = - b2 - 2
b2 = - 2
29
L
0
0 = 2a2 + b2 3c2 - 1
= 2a2 2 3(-1) - 1
a2 = 0
t
2
= A
0
v
-2

-1
E
=

2
v
E
30
(iii) t
3
= A
a3
v
b3

c3

M
0
L
0
T
0
= (L
2
)
a3
(LT
-1
)
b3
(ML
-3
)
c3
(ML
-1
T
-1
)
M
0
0 = c3 + 1
c3 = - 1
T
0
0 = - b3 - 1
b3 = - 1
31
L
0
0 = 2a3 + b3 3c3 - 1
= 2a3 1 3(-1) - 1
a3 = 1/2
t
3
= A
1/2
v
-1

-1

v A

32
u [t
1
, t
2
, t
3
] = 0

0 , ,
2 2
=
(

v A
v
E
v A
F

|
Hydraulic Similitude & Model Studies
-full size structure - geometric reduction of prototype in 2
(actual) - the model studies are based comprises
the theory of hydraulic similitude
The relationship between model & prototype is
determined by the law of hydraulic similitude/similarity
Research
Prototype Model

Hydraulic similitude
3 types
(1) Geometric similarity
- the similarity of shape
- any model length is related to equivalent length in the
prototype
(i) Length,
(ii) Area,
(iii) Volume,
Lr
L
L
m
p
=
2
2
2
Lr
L
L
m
p
=
3
3
3
Lr
L
L
m
p
=
Hydraulic similitude
(2) Kinematic similarity
- the similarity of motion
- at similar points at similar times, the model must
reproduce to scale the velocity and direction of flow
experienced within the prototype. Example;
Velocity,
m
m
p
p
m
p
T
L
T
L
v
v
=
p
m
m
p
T
T
L
L
=
Tr
Lr
1
=
Tr
Lr
=
Hydraulic similitude
(3) Dynamic similarity
- the similarity of force
- at similar points, the model must reproduce to scale all
of the forces experienced within the prototype.
Example;
Fr
F
F
m
p
=
37
You as an engineer wants to study the ability of a prototype
sluice gate using a small scale model. The ratio of geometric
model to prototype scale is 1:150.
Water density for both model and prototype are same, but
the dynamic viscosity of water for prototype is 1.2 times
dynamic viscosity of water in the model because the
temperature difference. The velocity scale ratio v
p
/v
m
=0.008.
Determine the force acting on the prototype sluice gate if
force acting on the model sluice gate is 30 Newton. Use
dimensional analysis from Example 2.
.
Example 3
Solution
38
- Dimensional analysis from Example 2
or
or
2
1
v A
F

t =
2
2
v
t
E
=
v A

t =
3

2 2
v L
F
vL

Solution
39
- Given:
- To get the force on the prototype sluice gate, similarity t
1
is
used because got the variable of Force.
- So
150
;
1
p
m
L
L
= 30
m
F N =
1.2 ;
p m
=

m p 1 1
t t =
m p
v L
F
v L
F
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
|
|
.
|

\
|

2 2 2 2
0.008
p
m
v
v
| |
=
|
|
\ .
Solution
40
- or
|
|
.
|

\
|
|
|
.
|

\
|
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
m
p
m
p
m
p
m p
v
v
L
L
F F

2
2
( ) ( )
2
2 150
30.0 0.008 1
1
| |
=
|
\ .
N 2 . 43 =