Department of Mechanical Engineering,

UET, Peshawar, Jalozai Campus, Pakistan.

BSc Mechanical Engineering.

Subject: Semester 3, ME -102 - Fluid Mechanics I

Assignment: Fluid Statics
Date of Issue: 26th December 2017.
Due date: 12th January 2018.
Overall marks of the assignment: 20

Question 1: (5 MARKS)
(a). An engineer measured a gauge pressure value PA = 100 kPa(guage), the local atmospheric pressure
is equal to 101kPa(abs). What would be the corresponding value in terms of absolute pressure from
absolute aero pressure. Illustrate your answer in a diagram.

(b). A second measurement shown that the pressure PB = -25 kPa(guage), on the same diagram from (a),
plot the pressure PB and the corresponding absolute pressure.

(c). Proof mathematically that the pressure in a static fluid always acts normal to the surface in contact.

(d). Define Pascal’s Law and support your definition through mathematical derivation of the pressure
forces acting upon a wedged-shape diffrential fluid element submurged in a fluid at rest.

(e). Figure 1 presents a hydraulic system containing fluid at rest. Force of 5KN is applied at piston 1 in
the direction illustrated. The weight of the car parked on top of the piston 2 is approximately 1000kg.
Determine whether piston 2 will lift the weight of the car OR will remain in place. Area at piston 1 and
2 is equal to 2m2 and 7.5m2.
Support your answer with necessary illustration of all the forces.
Clearly state any assumptions.

Figure 1: Hydraulic System installed at a car assembly plant.

Question 2 (5 MARKS)
(a). Figure 2 shows a differential fluid element submerged in a static fluid. Use Taylor Series
Expansion of Pressure to derive the pressure gradient in x, y, and z direction. Elaborate on
the derived pressure gradient in each direction.
To account for the body forces, only consider body forces caused due to gravity. Support your
derivation through necessary illustrations as well as clearly label all the forces and their
direction.

Figure 2: Diffrential fluid element submerged in fluid at rest.

(b). A U-tube manometer is shown below. Find the pressure at PA in PSI(guage) and
PSI(absolute).
Support your answer with illustrations and appropriately report all assumptions, and unit
conversions.

ϒair

1ft

Atmosphere
PB

1ft ϒwater

ϒWater PA

ϒ= Specific Weight
ϒWater = 62.4 Ib/ft3
ϒGuage Fluid = 3xϒWater
ϒAir = 0.073 Ib/ft
Question 3 (10 MARKS)

Figure 3 presents the cross-sectional drawing of a gate installed in a hydropower station. The
gate has been designed to regulate the flow of water stored at 10OC.
The rectangular shape gate is made of aluminium, the weight of the gate is approximately 10
tonnes, its inclined at an angle of 45o, hinged at the bottom section, and is fully submurged in
water as depicted in figure 3. The width of the gate is 2m into the paper.

(a). Determine whether the gate will stay in place as shown in the figure 3, OR it will fall ?
Use the fluid statics equations to derive your solution.
In your solution you must;
• Clearly illustrate all the forces and any moments acting on the gate.
• Clearly state all the governing equations.
• Clearly state all your assumptions where necessary.
• Clearly show all unit conversions and derive the solution in SI units.

Free Surface

h1 = 2 m
Gate Stopper
ϒWater At 10oC
9810 N/m3
Atmospheric conditions.

Y h1 = 12 m

Gate Hinge Z
Point

θ=45 X

(b). Using the pressure prism approach show that the magnitude of the resultant force (FR)
and its location in the Y-direction (YR) is same as derived using the equations approach used
in part (a).
(C). As part of the hydropower station development plan, the station design team is considering
replacing the gate with a new gate having same dimensions. However, the team is considering
steel as a material for the construction of the new gate. The design team estimated that the new
steel gate will weight approximately twice as much compared to the existing aluminium gate.
How does the installation of steel gate impact your solution derived from (a)? elaborate
why in any case, justify your answer mathematically.