MECH 345

Experiment #1

Centre of Pressure and Hydrostatic

Force on a Submerged Body
(Hydrostatic Bench)

Objective
To verify the location of the centre of pressure on a plane submerged surface.

Apparatus
• Armfield tank
• Toroid float: a = 10 cm, b = 7.581 cm, d = 10.0 cm and L = 27.5 cm. (See Figures
2 and 3)
• Balance

The apparatus (Figure 1) is designed to isolate the hydrostatic moment on the end
face of the toroid about the pivot. The circular arc top and bottom faces are centered on the
pivot so that the resultant hydrostatic force at every point passes through the pivot axis and
does not contribute to the moment.
Adjustable
Torroid Clamping Counterbalance
Pivot
Beam Level Screw
Indication

Max W.L.
160
Balance
Pan Scale
100
90
End Face

Drain Cock
Spirit Level 10

Levelling Feet

Figure 1 - Schematic Diagram of a Hydrostatic Bench

Analysis
Because no shear stresses can exist in a static fluid, all hydrostatic forces on any
element of a submerged surface must act in a direction normal to the surface. The
hydrostatic forces acting on the two sides of the toroid counter-balance themselves, and the
forces exerted on the curved surfaces (the circular arc top and bottom faces) act through the
pivot point of the moment arm of the toroid, hence contributing nothing to the net moment
about the pivot point. The only hydrostatic forces that act on the toroid and have a net
moment about the pivot point are those acting on the plane end face of the toroid.

The point force equivalent to the distributed hydrostatic forces and the location of
the force action can be calculated from the following formulae:

F = rgh cG A (1)

Ixx
Ycp - YcG = (Note: hcG = YcG) (2)
h cGA

where r - density of the fluid

g - gravitational acceleration
hcG - distance from the free surface to the centre of gravity of the submerged
plane surface
A - the area of the submerged plane surface
Ixx - the area moment of inertia of the plane surface area about its centroidal X
axis, which is horizontal (or parallel with the free surface).
Ycp - distance from the free surface to the centre of pressure of the submerged
surface.

The above two equations can be used to derive expressions for the moment of the
hydrodynamic forces on the end face of the toroid about the pivot.

Partial Immersion (Figure 2)

For this case, we have

y by 3
h cG = ; A = by; Ix x =
2 12
1
\F = rgby 2
2 (3)

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 by3 / 12 y
Y cp - YcG = = (4)
(by )( y / 2) 6
The moment M due to the force F about the pivot is given by

1 y y
[ (
M = F* a + d - YcG + Ycp - YcG = )] rgby2 È a + d - + ˘
2 Î 2 6˚

1
i.e., M = rgby 2 (a + d - y / 3) (5)
2
This hydrostatic moment is balanced in this experiment by the moment of the
gravitational force due to the mass placed in the balance pan. That is,

M = mgL (6)

where m - mass placed in the balance pan

L - distance from the pivot point to the balance pan suspension rod axis

Equating these two expressions for the moment M, we obtain

1
mL = rby 2 (a + d - y / 3) (7)
2

m
Water Surface
y d
F CP
y/3

R
b

Figure 2 - Partial Immersion

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Complete Immersion (Figure 3)
For this case,

d bd 3
h cG = y - ; A = bd; I x x = (8)
2 12

Ê dˆ
F = rgÁ y - ˜ bd (9)
Ë 2¯

bd 3 / 12 d2
Ycp - YcG = = (10)
bdh cG 12h cG

[ (
M = F* a + d / 2 + Ycp - YcG )]
È d d2 ˘
or M = rgbdh cG Ía + + ˙ (11)
Î 2 12h cG ˚

Since M = mgL as well, we have

È d d2 ˘
mL = rbdh cG Ía + + ˙ (12)
Î 2 12h cG ˚

a
Water Surface

m R1
y

d
F

R2
b

Figure 3 - Complete Immersion

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Procedure
a) Locate the toroid on the two dowel pins and fasten to the balance arm by the central
screw.

b) Measure the dimensions a, b, and d, and the distance L from the knife-edge axis to
the balance pan axis. Make sure the given values for a, b, d and L are correct, and
the apparatus is aligned properly.

c) Position the perspex tank on work surface and locate the balance arm on the knife
edges.

d) Attach a length of hose to the drain cock and direct the other end of the hose to the
sink. Attach a length of hose to tap V3 and place the free end in the triangular
aperture on the top of the perspex tank.

Level the tank, using the adjustable feet in conjunction with the spirit level.

e) Adjust the counter-balance weight until the balance arm is horizontal. This is
indicated on a gate adjacent to the balance arm.

f) Open valve V2. Pump water from tank 1 to the Perspex tank, using hand pump (B)
provided, until the water is level with the bottom edge of the toroid.

g) Place a mass on the balance pan.

Using the hand pump, (B) fill the tank until the balance arm is horizontal. Note the
water level on the scale.

Fine adjustment of the water level may be achieved by over-filling and slowly
draining, using the drain cock.

h) Repeat the procedure under section (g) for different masses, using the
corresponding water levels.

i) Repeat readings for reducing masses on the balance pan.

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Calculations and Graphs
For y < d (partial immersion):
m m m rb Ê y
Tabulate y 2 and plot y 2 against y. Because from (7), 2 = a + d - ˆ¯ ,
y 2L Ë 3
rb rb (a + d )
the slope of this graph should be - , and the intercept should be .
6L 2L
For y > d (complete immersion):
d m L m L
Tabulate h cG = y - , and , then plot against . From (12) the
2 h cG h cG h cG hcG
rbd 3 rbd Ê d
slope of this graph should be 2 and the intercept should be
Á a + ˆ˜ .
12L L Ë 2¯

Conclusions
Give reasons for the discrepancies, if any, between the measured and predicted
values of the above expressions for the graph parameters.

Discussion
1. Why is the weight of the circular beam not in the expression for y cp ?

2. Would the location of the center of pressure change if a different fluid were used in
the tank? Why?
3. Explain why Ycp - YcG increases for the partial immersion, and decreases for the
complete immersion, as the water level y increases. Sketch a plot showing
Ê Ycp - YcG ˆ
6Á as a function of y/d, and discuss at which water level y the value
Ë d ¯
(Ycp - YcG ) reaches maximum.

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