Fluid Statics

CVEN 212
Spring 2015
Riyadh Al-Raoush, PhD, PE
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Definitions and Applications

Statics: no relative motion between adjacent

fluid layers.
Shear

stress is zero
Only pressure
_______ can be acting on fluid surfaces

Gravity force acts on the fluid (____

body force)
Applications:

Pressure

variation within a reservoir

Forces on submerged surfaces
Tensile stress on pipe walls
Buoyant forces

Motivation?

What are the pressure forces behind the

Hoover Dam?

http://borworld.usbr.gov/cdams/dams/hoover.html

Upstream face of Hoover Dam

Crest thickness: 13.7 m
Base thickness: 201 m
WHY???

Upstream face of Hoover Dam in 1935

What do we need to know?

Pressure variation with direction
Pressure variation with location
How can we calculate the total force on a
submerged surface?

Pressure Variation with Direction

Equation of Motion

Surface forces

Body forces
pss

F = ma

max

xy
2

ax 0
pxy

0 pxy - pss sin

s sin y
p xy - p sy 0

p x ps

Independent of direction!

xy pyx
2

Pressure Variation with Location

F 0
s

(p+dp)A

pA-(p
/ / / p)A-Ads
/ / sin 0
dp
sin
ds
dz
sin
ds
dz
dp

ds
ds

pA

dp

dz

Ads
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Pressure Variation When the

Specific Weight is Constant

What are the two things that could make

specific weight () vary in a fluid?

Hint: = g

dp

dz

Compressible fluid - changing density

Changing gravity

p z constant
p

z constant

Piezometric head

p1

z1

p2

z2
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Example: Pressure at the bottom

of a tank of water?
p1

z1

p2

z2
h

p = h
Does the pressure at the bottom
of the tank increase if the
diameter of the tank increases? NO!!!!
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Units and Scales of Pressure

Measurement
Gage pressure
Absolute pressure
Standard atmospheric pressure

1 atmosphere
101.325 kPa
14.7 psi
10.34 m H20
760 mm Hg

Local atmospheric pressure

Local
barometer
reading

Suction vacuum
(gage pressure)

Absolute zero (complete vacuum)

6894.76 Pa/psi

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Mercury Barometer
What is the local atmospheric pressure
(in kPa) when R is 750 mm Hg?

p1

z1

P1=0, z1=R
P2=Patm, z2=0

p2

Hg

z2
R

patm

Hg

patm Hg R

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Mercury Barometer
p3

Hg

z3

p4

Hg

z4

P3=0 + Hg(R+R), z3=0

P4=Patm+ HgR, z4=0

0 Hg ( R R)

Hg
patm Hg R

Patm Hg R

Hg

0
3

R`

4
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Pressure Variation in a
Compressible Fluid
Perfect gas with constant temperature
gradient
Perfect gas at constant temperature
(Isothermal)

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Perfect Gas with Constant

Temperature Gradient

The atmosphere can be modeled as having a

constant temperature gradient T T0 z zo
dp
pg
dp
pg

dz
RT
dz
RT
dp
pg

dz
RTo z zo

dp
g
dz
p p R 0 To z zo
0

To z zo

p p0
To

g
R

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Perfect Gas at Constant

Temperature (Isothermal)
dp
pg

RT
dz
p

at z = zo, p = po

dp
g
p p z RT dz
0
0
p
g
z z0
ln

p0
RT

p p0 e

z
z

0
RT

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Pressure Measurement

Barometers
Weight or pressure

Manometers
Standard
Differential
Micromanometers

Pressure Transducers
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Standard Manometers
What is the pressure at A in terms of h?
p = h
Pressure in water distribution systems
commonly varies between 25 and 100 psi
h
(175 to 700 kPa). How high would the
water rise in a manometer connected to a
pipe containing water at 500 kPa?
h = p/
h = 500,000 Pa/9800 N/m3
h = 51 m

A
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Manometers for High Pressures

Find the pressure in the center of the
sphere. The sphere contains fluid
with 1 and the manometer contains
fluid with 2.

p1

z1

p2

z2

Psphere 1h2

h1

0 2 h1

Psphere 2 h1 1h2

h2

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Differential Manometers
p1

Water

p2
h3

h1
h2

Mercury
Find the drop in pressure
between point 1 and point
2.

p1 + h1w - h2Hg - h3w = p2

p1 - p2 = (h3-h1)w + h2Hg
p1 - p2 = h2(Hg - w)
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Pressure Transducers

Excitation: 10 Vdc regulated

Output: 100 millivolts

Accuracy: 1% FS

Full Scale
Linearity: 1.0% FS BFSL Best Fit Straight Line

Hysteresis and repeatability: 0.2% FS

Zero Offset: 1.5 mV max

Temp. Range: (-40 to 85C)

Temp. Effects: 1.5% FS total error band from -5 to 175 F

Proof Pressure: 140 kPa (20 psi) for 7 kPa model

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Summary for Statics

Pressure is independent of direction
Pressure increases with depth
p = h
constant density
dp =- dy

gas

at constant temperature Use ideal gas law

gas with constant temperature gradient

Pressure scales
Pressure measurement

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