Text Book:

Fluid Mechanics With Engineering Applications

(10th Edition)
by E. John Finnemore & Joseph B. Franzini
Hydraulic Machinery by S.S.Rattan
Reference Books:
Applied Fluid Mechanics (6th Edition)
by Robert L. Mott
Fluid Mechanics by A.K Jain

A textbook of Hydraulics, Fluid Mechanics and

Hydraulic Machines (19th Edition) by R.S. Khurmi

1
 Dimensional Analysis
Rayleighs Method and Buckingham's Pi-theorem
and their applications.

Fluid flow in pipes

Reynold's number and its significance, Instability of

viscous flow.
Viscous flow through circular pipes. Turbulent flow
through circular pipes.
Semi-empirical theories of turbulence. Velocity
profile in turbulent flow.
Pipe roughness, Nikuradse's experiments. Moody's
diagrams.
Pipe networks

2
 Forces on immersed bodies
Development of boundary layer on immersed
Bodies.
Elementary theory of surface drag and form drag.
Simple lift and drag equations and their
applications to simple engineering problems.
Separation of boundary layer.

Forces on vanes and turbomachinery

Impulse momentum equation.
Forces on moving flat and curved vanes.
Impulse turbine, construction features and
operations, Specific speed.
Reaction turbine, types, construction features and
operation, specific speed, cavitation, draft tube.

3
 Centrifugal pumps.
Classification, construction features and operation,
specific speed, cavitation.
Reciprocating Pumps
Single acting and double acting pumps, acceleration
head, maximum suction lift. Use of air vessels

4
 It is a pure mathematical technique to establish a
relationship between physical quantities (variables
or parameters) involved in a fluid phenomenon by
considering their dimensions.

Reliable problem solving approach

Reduces errors in algebra

Reinforces unit conversion

Simplifies computation

Improves understanding of maths applications

Multiple ways to solve the same problem

5
 Identify what you are being asked.
Write down what is given or known.
Look for relationships between knowns
and unknowns (use charts, equations).
Rearrange the equation to solve for the
unknown.
Do the computations, cancel the units,
check for reasonable answers

Dimensional Analysis
Dimensional Analysis refers to the physical
nature of the quantity and the type of unit
(Dimension) used to specify it.
Distance has dimension L.
Area has dimension L2.
Volume has dimension L3.
Time has dimension T.
Speed has dimension L/T

6
 Development of an equation for fluid
phenomenon

Conversion of one system of units to another

Reducing the number of variables required in

an experimental program so that number of
experiments to be performed is reduced ,e.g.,

Develop principles of hydraulic similitude for

model study

MLT system
FLT system

These two systems are inter-related as follow:

F = ma 2nd Law of motion
F = MLT-2
or M = FL-1T+2

7
[x], Length L [r], Mass Density ML-3
[m], Mass M [P], Pressure ML-1T-2
[t], Time T [E], Energy ML2T-2
[v], Velocity LT-1 [I], Electric Current QT-1
[a], Acceleration LT-2 [q], Electric Change Q
[F], Force MLT-2 [E], Electric Field - MLQT-2

Principle of Dimensional Homogeneity

The fundamental dimensions and their respective

powers should be identical on either side of the sign
of equality.

Q = A x V [continuity equation is homogeneous]

Is Mannings equation dimensionally

homogeneous or not?

8
 Rayleighs Method
Buckinghams -method

Functional relationship between variables is

expressed in the form of an exponential
relation which must be dimensionally
homogeneous

if y is a function of independent variables

x1, x2, x3, .. xn, then

y f ( x1 , x2 , x3 ,.......xn )

9
 In exponential form as

y [( x1 ) a , ( x2 ) b , ( x3 ) c ,.......( xn ) z ]

Write fundamental relationship of the given data

Write the same equation in exponential form
Select suitable system of fundamental dimensions
Substitute dimensions of the physical quantities
Apply dimensional homogeneity
Equate the powers and compute the values of the
exponents
Substitute the values of exponents
Simplify the expression

10
 For further understanding, lets explore the
equation for the velocity (V) of a pressure
wave through a fluid.

First it should be visualised what physical

factors actually influence the velocity

Compressibility E density and kinematic

viscosity (nu) are the physical factors
influencing the motion

The dimensions of these quantities will be

L F M
V , E 2 2
T L LT
M L2
r 3 ,
L T

11
 V CEa r b d
C is the dimensionless constant. Substituting
the dimensions
d
L M M L2
a b

T LT 2 L3 T

For dimensional homogeneity, the exponents

of each dimension must be identical on both
sides.

For M 0 ab
For L 1 a 3b 2d
For T 1 2a d

12
 Solving the above equations, we get
a 1/ 2
b 1 / 2
d 0

So finally,
E
V C
r

Dimensional analysis was developed in such

way by Lord Rayleigh.

Very serviceable method but has been

superseded.

13
 Developed by E. Buckingham (1915)-a more generalized
method of dimensional analysis.
If n is the total number of variables in a dimensionally
homogenous equation containing m fundamental
dimensions, then they may be grouped into (n-m)
terms.
if y=f(x1, x2, xn)
then the functional relationship will be written as
( 1 , 2 ....... nm ) 0
Suitable where n 4
Not applicable if (n-m) = 0

List all physical variables and note n and m

n = total no. of variables

m = fundamental dimensions

Compute number of -terms

Write the eq. in functional form
Write eq. in general form
Select repeating variables. Must have all of the m
fundamental dimensions and should not form a among
themselves (mass, geometry and kinematics)
Solve each -term for the unknown exponents by
dimensional homogeneity.
[ 1 , 2 , 3 ,..........] 0

14
 Consider the factors affecting the drag force
on a sphere.(Practical/experiment has been
done in the lab under Fluid Mechanics-I)

These include size of the sphere D, velocity of

the sphere V, density and viscosity . So
f ( FD , D,V , r , ) 0

Here we see that n=5

Choose a Dimensionless system (MLT or FLT)

and determine the number of fundamental
dimensions involved in the system (m).

We will choose MLT system so the

corresponding dimension will be

ML L M M
, L, , ,
T2 T L3 LT
We can see that here m=3

15
 Determine the number of -terms needed. In
this case they will be n-m=5-3=2.

Select the primary or repeating variables such

that they must contain all of the m
fundamental dimensions and must not form a
(dimensionless group) among themselves.

Choose , D and V as the repeating variables.

The -terms will then be

1 r a1 D b1V c1
2 r a2 D b2 V c2 FD

Using the principle of dimensional

homogeneity, we can solve for the exponents
on each side of the equation.

Since -terms are dimensionless, they can be

replaced by M0L0T0.

16
 So our expressions will look like

a1 c
M L M
1

M LT 3
0 0 0
L
b1

L T LT
M : 0 a1 1
L : 0 3a1 b1 c1 1
T : 0 c1 1

Solving,

a1 1; b1 1; c1 1
thus
1
rDV
1 r 1
D V 1 1



rDV
As
R rDV /

17
 1 R 1
and
FD
2
rD 2V 2

1 , 2 0
FD
1
R ,
0
rD 2V 2

This shows that the drag force depends upon the

Reynolds number which is the ratio of inertial
forces to viscous forces.

Dimensional analysis only provides a partial

solution to the fluid problems as it depends
entirely on the ability of the individual to perceive
the factors influencing a fluid phenomenon.

So if an important variable is omitted, then the

results could be entirely different.

18
 PROBLEM (1)
Derive an expression for the flow rate q over
the spillway shown in the figure per foot of
spillway perpendicular to the sketch. Assume
that the sheet of water is relatively thick, so
that surface-tension effects are negligible.
Assume also that gravity effects predominate
so strongly over viscosity that we can neglect
viscosity.
SOLUTION:

PROBLEM (2
Derive an expression for the shear stress at
the pipe wall when an incompressible fluid
flows through a pipe under pressure. Use
dimensional analysis with the following
significant parameters: pipe diameter D, flow
velocity V, and viscosity and density of
the fluid.
SOLUTION:

19
 PROBLEM (3)
The critical depth yc in a V-shaped channel
depends upon the discharge Q, acceleration
due to gravity g, and the vertex angle made
by the two side-walls of the channel. Using
the method of dimensional analysis deive an
equation for the critical depth.
SOLUTION:

20