Bouyancy and Stability

Bouyancy and Stability - Introduction

• Bouyant force is the force in fluid that tends to lift upward
• Whenever an object is floating or when it is completely submerge in
the fluid, it is subjected to a buoyant force.
• Bouyancy is the tendency of fluid to exert a supporting force on a
body placed in the fluid
• Net forces can be calculated on floating object on fluid or on object
that is submerged in the fluid
• Stability of a floating or submerged body can be determine
• Stability refers to the ability of a body in a fluid to return to its
original position after being tilted about horizontal axis
 • Scuba diver is an example of submerged

Added weight
body
• The scuba diver will typically tend to
float
• But, by adding calculated weight, the
diver can swim at whatever depth is
desired

Bouyant force
• Sailboat uses application of stability
• It is also an example of floating body
• Sailboat has the wind force acting on it
sail and wave acting on the hull
• The boat must remain stable under all
the forces acting on it
Objective
• Write the equation for the buoyant force
• Analyze the case of bodies floating on a fluid
• Use the principle of static equilibrium to solve the forces involved in
buoyancy problems
• Define the conditions that must be met for a body to be stable when
completely submerged in a fluid
Buoyancy
• A body in a fluid, whether floating or submerged, is buoyed up by a
force equal to the weight of the fluid displaced
• Buoyant force acts vertically upward through the centroid of the
displaced volume
• Discovered by Archimedes
• Buoyant force: 𝐹𝑏 = 𝛾𝑓 𝑉𝑑 where 𝐹𝑏 = buoyant force
𝛾𝑓 =specific weight of the fluid
𝑉𝑑 =Displaced volume of the fluid
Buoyancy
• When a body is floating freely, it displaces a
sufficient volume of fluid to just balance its own
weight
• The analysis of problems dealing with buoyancy
requires the application of static equilibrium in the
vertical direction 𝐹𝑉 = 0, assuming the object is at
rest in the fluid.
Procedure for Solving Buoyancy Problems
1. Determine the objective of the problem solution. What need to be
calculated – force, weight, volume, specific weight
2. Draw a free-body diagram of the object in the fluid. Show all forces
that act on the free body in the vertical direction, including the
weight of the body, the buoyant force and all external forces. If
the direction of some force is unknown, assume the most probable
direction and show it on the free body
3. Write the equation of static equilibrium in the vertical direction,
assuming the positive direction to be upward.
4. Solve for the desired force, weight, volume, or sp. weight.
Remember the following concept:
• The buoyant force is calculated from 𝐹𝑏 = 𝛾𝑓 𝑉𝑑
• The weight of a solid object is the product of its total volume and
its sp weight 𝑤 = 𝛾𝑉.
• An object with an average sp weight less than that of the fluid will
tend to float because 𝑤 < 𝐹𝑏 with the object submerged
• An object with an average sp weight greater than that of the fluid
will tend to sink because 𝑤 > 𝐹𝑏 with the object submerged
• Neutral buoyancy occurs when a body stays in a given position
wherever it is submerged in a fluid. An object whose average
specific weight is equal to that of the fluid is neutrally buoyant
Example
• A cube 0.5m on a side is made of bronze having a specific weight of
86.9kN/m3. Determine the magnitude and direction of the force
required to hold the cube in equilibrium when completely submerged
(a) in water (b) in mercury. Specific gravity of mercury is 13.54.

• Solution
1. Determine magnitude and direction of force to hold the cube (external
force)
2. Draw free-body diagram
External force that need
to be determined, Fe
(assume direction)

Weight = w

𝐵𝑢𝑜𝑦𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒, 𝐹𝑏 = 𝛾𝑓 𝑉𝑑
3. Write equation for static equilibrium (upward force is positive,
downward force is negative)
𝐹𝑉 = 0

𝐹𝑏 + 𝐹𝑒 − 𝑤 = 0
4. Solve (for (a) first)

𝛾𝑤 𝑉𝑐𝑢𝑏𝑒 + 𝐹𝑒 − 𝛾𝑐𝑢𝑏𝑒 𝑉𝑐𝑢𝑏𝑒 = 0

Rearrange: 𝐹𝑒 = 𝛾𝑐𝑢𝑏𝑒 𝑉𝑐𝑢𝑏𝑒 −𝛾𝑤 𝑉𝑐𝑢𝑏𝑒
𝐹𝑒 = 86.9 0.53 − (9.81)(0.53 )=9.63kN
The result is positive indicating the assumption was right.
Solve for (b) on your own. Ans. = downward (5.74kN)
Example
A certain solid metal object weighs
10kN in the normal manner in air, but
it has such an irregular shape that it is Total weight=0.7kN
difficult to calculate its volume by
geometry. Use principle of buoyancy.
Determine its volume and specific
weight.
Based on apparent weight while submerged in water to be
7kN.
• FBD
𝐹𝑏 + 𝐹𝑒 − 𝑤 = 0
𝛾𝑤 𝑉𝑠 + 𝐹𝑒 − 𝑤 = 0
𝑤 − 𝐹𝑒
𝑉𝑠 =
𝛾𝑤
10 − 7
=
9.81

= 𝟎. 𝟑𝟎𝟔𝒎𝟑
Example
• A cube 80mm on a side is made of a rigid foam material and floats in
glycerine with 60mm of the cube below the surface. Calculate the
magnitude and direction of the force required to hold it completely
submerged in glycerine, which has a specific gravity of 1.26

60mm below surface

• FBD when float freely
𝐹𝑏 − 𝑤 = 0
𝑤 = 𝐹𝑏
= 𝛾𝑔𝑙𝑦 𝑉𝑠𝑢𝑏𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑒𝑑
= 9.81 × 1.26 0.60 × 0.80 × 0.80
= 4.746𝑘𝑁
weight

Fb
• FBD when fully submerged
𝐹𝑏 − 𝐹𝑒 − 𝑤 = 0
𝐹𝑒 = 𝐹𝑏 − 𝑤
Fe = ? 𝐹𝑒 = 𝛾𝑔𝑙𝑦 𝑉𝑐𝑢𝑏𝑒 − 4.746
𝐹𝑒 = 9.81 × 1.26 0.83 − 4.746
= 𝟏. 𝟓𝟖𝟑𝒌𝑵
weight

Fb
Example
• A brass cube 0.15m on a side weighs 0.3kN. We want to hold this
cube in equilibrium under water by attaching a light foam buoy to it.
If the foam has specific weight of 0.7kN/m3, what is the minimum
required volume of the buoy?

Light foam
(0.7kN/m3)

brass
 • FBD
𝐹𝑒 + 𝐹𝑏 − 𝑤 = 0
𝐹𝑒 = 𝐹𝑏 𝑓𝑜𝑎𝑚 𝐹𝑏 𝑓𝑜𝑎𝑚 + 𝛾𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑉𝑏𝑟𝑎𝑠𝑠 − 0.3𝑘𝑁 = 0
𝛾𝑓𝑜𝑎𝑚 𝑉𝑓𝑜𝑎𝑚 + (9.81)(0.153 ) − 0.3 = 0
Light foam 𝑤𝑏𝑟𝑎𝑠𝑠
brass
𝛾𝑓𝑜𝑎𝑚 + (9.81)(0.153 ) − 0.3 = 0
𝑤𝑓𝑜𝑎𝑚 (0.7kN/m3)
0.3𝑘𝑁 − (9.81)(0.153 )
𝑉𝑓𝑜𝑎𝑚 =
𝛾𝑓𝑜𝑎𝑚
𝐹𝑏 0.2669
𝐹𝑏 𝑓𝑜𝑎𝑚 𝑉𝑓𝑜𝑎𝑚 = = 0.381𝑚3
0.7
Buoyancy Materials
• Design of floating bodies often requires the use of lightweight
materials – offer high degree of buoyancy
• When a relatively heavy object must be moved while submerged in a
fluid, it is often desirable to add buoyancy to facilitate mobility
• The buoyancy material should typically have:
• Low specific weight and density
• Little or no tendency to absorb fluid
• Compatibility with the fluid in which it will operate
• Ability to be formed to appropriate shapes
• Ability to withstand fluid pressures to which it will be subjected
• Abrasion resistance and damage tolerance
• Attractive appearance
Stability of Completely Submerged Bodies
• A body in a fluid is considered stable if it will
return to its original position after being rotated
a small amount about a horizontal axis
• Example of completely submerged bodies are
submarines and weather balloons
Stability of Completely Submerged Bodies
• It is important for these kinds of object to remain in a specific
orientation despite the action of currents, winds or maneuvering
forces
• Condition of stability for submerged bodies: the center of gravity of
the body must be below the center of buoyancy
• The center of buoyancy of a body is at the centroid of the displaced
volume of fluid
• at center of buoyancy, buoyant force acts in a vertical direction
• The weight of the body acts vertically downward through the center
of gravity
Stability of Completely Submerged Bodies
• The sketch of this undersea
vehicle has a stable configuration
due to its shape and the location
of the equipment within the
structure
• The design places heavier
equipment in lower part of the
structure.
• Much of the upper part is filled
with light syntactic foam to
provide buoyancy
Stability of Completely Submerged Bodies
• In the sketch, cb is the center of
buoyancy while cg is the center
of gravity. cg is located lower
than cb
• In figure (b), the vehicle is having
some angular displacement with
total weight w acting vertically
downward through the cg
• Fb is acting vertically upward
through cb
Stability of Completely Submerged Bodies
• Because their lines of action are
now offset, these forces create a
righting couple that bring the
vehicle back to its original
orientation, demonstrating
stability
• If the cg is above the cb, the
couple created when the body is
tilted would produce an
overturning couple that would
cause it to capsize
Stability of Completely Submerged Bodies
• Solid, homogenous objects have the cg and cb coincident
and they exhibit neutral stability when completely
submerged, meaning that they tend to stay in whatever
position they are placed
Stability of Floating Bodies
• Different from submerged bodies
• Metacenter – is the intersection of the vertical axis of a body when in
its equilibrium position and a vertical line through the new position
of the center of buoyancy when the body is rotated slightly
• Condition of stability for floating bodies : its center of gravity is below
the metacenter
Procedure for Evaluating the Stability of Floating Bodies
1. Determine the position of the floating body, using the principles of buoyancy
2. Locate the center of buoyancy, cb; compute the distance from some reference
axis to cb, called ycb. Usually the bottom of the object is taken as the reference
axis
3. Locate the center of gravity, cg; compute ycg measured from the same
reference axis
4. Determine the shape of the area at the fluid surface and compute the smallest
moment of inertia I for that shape.
5. Compute the displaced volume Vd
6. Compute MB = I/Vd
7. Compute ymc = ycb+MB
8. If ymc>ycg, the body is stable
9. If ymc<ycg, the body is unstable
Example
• Figure shows a flatboat
hull that, when fully
loaded, weighs 150kN.
• Note the location of the
center of gravity, cg.
• Determine whether the
boat is stable in fresh
water.
1. Determine the position of the floating body, using the principles of
buoyancy
𝐹𝑣 = 0

𝐹𝑏 − 𝑤 = 0 X
𝐹𝑏 = 𝑤
Submerged volume:
Buoyant force,Fb
𝑉𝑑 = 𝐵 × 𝐿 × 𝑋
𝐹𝑏 = 𝛾𝑓 𝑉𝑑 = 𝛾𝑓 𝐵𝐿𝑋
Then Weight, w
𝛾𝑓 𝐵𝐿𝑋 = 𝑤
𝑤 150𝑘𝑁
𝑋= =
𝛾𝑓 𝐵𝐿 (2.4𝑚)(6.0𝑚)(9.81𝑘𝑁)
𝑚3

𝑋 = 1.06𝑚
2. Locate the center of buoyancy, cb; compute the distance from some reference axis
to cb, called ycb.
Usually the bottom of the object is taken as the reference axis

• Center of buoyancy is located at the center of the displaced volume of water

1.06𝑚
( = 0.53𝑚) from bottom (reference axis)
2
• ycb=0.53m
3. Locate the center of gravity, cg; compute ycg measured
from the same reference axis
• ycg=0.8m as given in the question
• Because ycg>ycb, we must locate the
metacentre to determine whether the boat is
stable
Procedure 4-9

ymc (metacentre) =ycb + MB

𝐼 𝐿𝐵3 /12 (6)(2.4)3 /12

𝑀𝐵 = = = = 0.45𝑚
𝑉𝑑 𝐵𝐿𝑋 6(2.4)(1.06)
ymc =0.53 + 0.45=0.98m

The moment inertia is determined about x-x axis because this would
yield the smallest value for I
Hence, the boat is stable because metacentre is above the center of
gravity.
What if the center of gravity is changed?
By increasing the height
𝐹𝑏 = 𝑤
𝑤 150𝑘𝑁
𝑋= = = 1.06𝑚 10m
𝐵𝐿𝛾𝑓 (2.4𝑚)(6.0𝑚)(9.81𝑘𝑁)
𝑚3
1.06 ycg=5m
𝑦𝑐𝑏 = 𝑎𝑡 𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 = = 0.53𝑚
2
𝐿𝐵3 /12 (6)(2.4)3 /12 ymc
MB = I/Vd= = = 0.45𝑚
𝐵𝐿𝑋 6(2.4)(1.06)
ymc (metacentre) =ycb + MB = 0.53+0.45 = 0.98m 2.4m

Hence ymc< ycg (0.98m < 5m) Weight =150kN

Therefore the object is unstable

Example
• A solid cylinder is 3ft in diameter,
6ft in height, 1550lb of weights. If
cylinder is placed in oil (sg=0.9) with
its vertical, would it be stable?
 𝜋𝐷2
𝐹𝑏 = (𝛾𝑜𝑖𝑙 ) 𝑋 = 𝑤
4
𝑤 4 1550 4
Hence: 𝑋 =
(𝛾𝑜𝑖𝑙 )𝜋𝐷2
= = 3.9𝑓𝑡
(0.9(62.4))𝜋(3)2

3.9
𝑦𝑐𝑏 = 𝑎𝑡 𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 = = 1.95𝑚
𝜋𝐷
4 2
2
𝐷
MB = I/Vd= 2
𝜋𝐷
64
= = 0.144𝑓𝑡
𝑋 16𝑋
4

ymc (metacentre) =ycb + MB = 1.95+0.144= 2.09ft

Hence ymc< ycg (2.09ft < 3ft)

Therefore the object is unstable. It would tend to fall to one side until it reached
a stable orientation. (probably with the horizontal axis)
Degree of Stability
• Some objects are more stable than others – relative stability
• To measure relative stability we used term – metacentric
height (MG)
• Metacentric height (MG) is defined as the distance to the
metacentre above the center of gravity
𝑀𝐺 = 𝑦𝑚𝑐 − 𝑦𝑐𝑔
Degree of Stability
• An object with larger metacentric height is more stable than one with
smaller value
• Small sea going vessels should have MG = 1.5ft (0.46m), large ships
should have MG > 3.5ft (1.07m) – (reference 1)
• Too large MG will cause uncomfortable rocking motions in the ship
(seasick)
Static Stability Curve
• Another measure of stability of a floating object is - the amount of
offset between the line of action of the weight of the object acting
through the center of gravity and that of the buoyant force acting
through the center of buoyancy
• The product of one of the
forces and the amount of
the offset produces the
righting couple that
causes the object to
return to its original
position
- and thus to be stable
Static Stability Curve
• In this figure, the boat hull in
a rotated position
• Horizontal line is drawn
through the center of gravity
intersect buoyant force at
point H
• The horizontal distance, GH
is called the righting arm
• GH is a measure of the
magnitude of the righting
couple
Static Stability Curve
• Distance GH varies as the angle rotation
varies
• This curve shows a characteristic plot of
the righting arm versus the angle of
rotation for a ship.
• This curve is called static stability curve
• As long as the value of GH is positive, the
ship is stable (vice versa)
• In this curve, the ship will be unstable at
around 68o
• Because steep slope of the curve after
about 50o which can be the recommended
limit for rotation