EXPERIMENT NO.

HYDROSTATIC FORCE ON PLANE SURFACES

I. INTRODUCTION
Usually, engineers are confronted with problem of determining the force exerted by fluids
acting on walls of container, such as pipes, tanks and concrete forms. Here, forces are due to the
pressure, which is being exerted outward from the inside of the container. On other occasions,
the problem maybe to determine the pressure exerted against submerged objects such as
caissons, diving bells and balloons. Another common problem is the determination of forces
acting on gates in the walls of these containers or submerged objects. Forces acting on
containers or submerged objects are due to pressure of a gas, a liquid, or a solid. In the case of
gas, pressure usually does not vary appreciably with elevation in vertical distances that are
commonly considered. With liquids, however, the pressure will vary from atmospheric at free
surface to tremendous magnitudes at great depths, such as the ocean. The actual absolute
magnitude of the pressure depends on the atmospheric pressure, the depth of the point being
considered, and the specific weight of the liquid involved.

II. OBJECTIVES
This experiment determines the hydrostatic force on a submerged and semi-submerged
rectangular area.

III. SKETCH OF APPARATUS

A. Hydrostatic Pressure Apparatus – designed to determine the static thrust exerted by a

fluid on a submerged surface and enables comparison of the measured magnitude and
position of this force with simple theory.
 B. Hydraulic Bench - is a very useful apparatus in hydraulics and fluid mechanics. It is
involved in majority of experiments to be conducted.

IV. LABORATORY PROCEDURE

Place the apparatus on the hydraulic bench. Level the apparatus using the spirit level and
adjustable feet. Ensure pump delivery valve is fully closed. Connect flexible supply hose to
apparatus. Adjust the counterweight to balance the counter balance beam until the beam is level.
Switch on the pump. Place a mass of approximately 50 grams on the pan. Open pump delivery
valve and allow water into the tank until balance arm is horizontal, then close the pump delivery
valve. Read height of water level on scale or torroid. Repeat the same procedure for various values
of weight in the balance pan up to four trials. Stop Hydraulics Bench pump. Disconnect supply hose
from the apparatus and allow apparatus to drain.

APPLICATION OF PRINCIPLE

1. Comment on the variation of thrust with depth.

2. Comment on the relationship between the depth of the center of pressure and the depth of
immersion.
3. For both 1 and 2, comment on what happens when the plane has become fully submerged.
4. Explain and comment on the discrepancies between the experimental and the theoretical results of
the depth of center of pressure.
 V. RESULTS

GROUP TRIAL W h d h+d hs x x +hs F F(x+hs) Wr

NO. NO. (g) (mm) (mm) (mm) (mm) (mm) (mm) (N) (Nmm) (Nmm)
1 70 0 60 60 140 40 180 1.3244 238.383 188.843
2 100 0 70 70 130 460667 176.667 1.803 318.531 269.775
1
3 250 11 100 111 89 74 1.803 0.658 107.254 674.438
4 300 24 100 124 76 82.67 0.658 1.742 276.403 809.325
1 50 0 45 45 155 30 185 0.745 137.825 134.888
2 70 0 50 50 100 33.333 133.333 0.92 122.666 188.843
2
3 270 12 100 112 88 74.667 162.667 4.562 142.087 728.393
4 320 24 100 124 79 82.667 158.667 5.445 863.942 863.28
1 50 0 45 45 155 20 185 0.745 137.325 174.888
2 70 0 49 49 150 32.667 153.66 0.883 167.178 188.843
3
3 220 1 100 101 99 62.667 165.667 3.787 621.635 543.005
4 240 5 100 105 95 70 165 4.047 667.673 647.46
1 50 0 42 42 158 28 186 0.649 120.695 134.888
2 100 0 65 65 135 43.333 178.333 1.554 277.183 269.775
4
3 220 0 100 100 100 66.667 166.667 3.68 613.135 593.505
4 260 6 100 106 84 66.893 160.893 1.12 662.911 701.415
1 50 0 46 46 154 30.667 184.67 0.778 143.749 134.888
2 60 0 50 50 150 33.337 183.33 0.92 168.609 161.865
5
3 250 8 100 108 92 66.667 158.67 3.679 583.695 674.438
4 270 13 100 113 87 66.667 153.67 3.679 565.301 728.393

VI. SAMPLE COMPUTATION

Use data from Trial 1,

𝜌𝑔𝑏[(ℎ + 𝑑)2 − ℎ2 ]
𝐹=
2

(9.81)(0.075)[(0 + 0.42)2 − 02 ]
𝐹=
2

𝐹 = 0.649 𝑁

F = ( x + hs )= (0.649)(158) = 120.695 N-mm

(𝑊)(9.81)(𝑟)
𝑊𝑟 =
1000

(50)(9.81)(275)
𝑊𝑟 =
1000

𝑊𝑟 = 134.888
VII. CONCLUSION

In this laboratory experiment, the moment or torque and the hydrostatic force on a
submerged and semi-submerged object were determined. The objective was to determine the
hydrostatic force on a plane surface immersed in water when the surface is partially or fully
submerged. The objective was met and accomplished using the hydrostatic pressure apparatus
and hydraulic bench.
Hydrostatic force is the force exerted on a submerged object due to the hydrostatic
pressure of the fluid. As the height of the water increases, the hydrostatic force increases as
well, meanwhile the center of pressure decreases. It moves closer to the center of vertical face.
The theoretical values of the turning moment for the trial where the apparatus was
partially submerged were closed to the experimental values. However, for the part where the
apparatus was fully-submerged, the values were not so close. One factor that we assumed to
have taken part in the discrepancy was the adjustment of the adjustable screw. Also, the
balance arm’s alignment with the center line was not accurate, indicating that the system is not
really balanced.

VIII. APPLICATION TO ENGINEERING

Determining the hydrostatic force is particularly crucial in the design of engineering

structures such as dams, storage tanks and hydraulic systems. To do work, you will first hold
the liquid back into a tank or dam. Some time later, you will have to let some liquid move, so it
will not always be static. By holding a large amount of water back behind a dam, and then
letting it spill slowly through turbines.

IX. REFERENCES

A. Giles, R., Evett, B., et. al. (2014). Schaum’s Outline of Fluid Mechanics and Hydraulics, Fourth

Edition. Hydrostatic Force on Surfaces.

B. Monjardin, C., Tan, F., Uy, F. Laboratory Manual In Fluid Mechanics.

C. Hydrostatic Force on a Plane Surface. Retrieved from

http://site.iugaza.edu.ps/mymousa/files/Experiment-1hydraulics-lab-.pdf
D. B. R. Munson, D.F Young and T. H. Okiisshi, 1998. Fundamentals of Fluid Mechanics,
John Wiley and Sons, Inc.