FACULTY OF CIVIL ENGINEERING DIPLOMA IN CIVIL ENGINEERING

UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA LABORATORY MANUAL

COURSE WATER ENGINEERING LABORATORY

COURSE CODE ECW341
LEVEL OF OPENNESS 0
CATEGORY Traditional
DEGREE OF OPEN
0
ENDED
PERIOD OF ACTIVITY 1 WEEK
LAB NO 2.2
TITLE DETERMINATION OF CENTRE OF PRESSURE

INTRODUCTION

The traditional methods of conducting laboratory activities (assigned as Level

0) will not be able to provide the avenue for students to enhance independent
learning activities and inculcate creativity and innovation. The traditional
method is fully prescriptive where the three elements namely problem, ways
& means and answers are provided/fully given to the students.

OBJECTIVES

The objective of the test is:

To determine the hydrostatic thrust acting on a plane surface immersed in

water and the position of centre of pressure.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of the laboratory works, students should be able to:

PREAMBLE i) Conduct and construct the centre of pressure laboratory experiments.

(CO1 – PO4)
ii) Analyze and interpret the data based on obtained data. (CO2 – PO6)

1.4 Theoretical Background

In this laboratory activity, students will be exposed to hydrostatic thrust acting

on a plane surface immersed in water and centre of pressure.
The centre of pressure may be defined as the point in a plane at which the total
liquid thrust can be said to be acting normal to that plane. By achieving an
equilibrium condition between the moments acting on the balance arm of the
test apparatus, the forces acting are the weight force applied to the balance
and the hydrostatic pressure thrust on the end face of the quadrant.

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 FACULTY OF CIVIL ENGINEERING DIPLOMA IN CIVIL ENGINEERING
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA LABORATORY MANUAL

FULLY SUBMERGED VERTICAL PLANE SURFACE

Below is a diagrammatic representation of the apparatus defining the physical

dimensions.

Figure 4.1 Fully Submerged Vertical Plane Surface

Where:
d is the depth of submersion
F is the hydrostatic thrust exerted on the quadrant
h is the depth of centroid
h’ is the depth of centre of pressure, P
h” is the distance of the line of action of thrust below the pivot. The line of
action passes through the centre of pressure, P

Fully Submerged Vertical Plane Surfaces – Hydrostatic Thrust

Hydrostatic Thrust, F

 D
F  ρgBD  d   N  (4.1)
 2

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 FACULTY OF CIVIL ENGINEERING DIPLOMA IN CIVIL ENGINEERING
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA LABORATORY MANUAL

Fully Submerged Vertical Plane Surfaces – Experimental Depth of Centre

of Pressure

Moment, M

M = Fh” (Nm) (4.2)

A balancing moment is produced by the weight, W, applied to the hanger at the

end of the balance arm. The moment is proportional to the length of the balance

arm, L.

For static equilibrium the two moments are equal.

That is

Fh” = WL (mgL) (4.3)

By substitution of the derived hydrostatic thrust, F, from (5) we have,

mL
h' '  (m) (4.4)
 D
BD d - 
 2

Fully Submerged Vertical Plane Surface - Theoretical Depth of Centre of

Pressure

The theoretical result for depth of centre of pressure, P, below the free surface

is

Ix (4.5)
h' 
Ah

Where, Ix is the 2nd moment of area of immersed section about an axis in the

free surface. By the use of the parallel axis theorem,

I x  Ic  Ah 2 (4.6)
D 2
 D 
2

I x  BD    d    (m 4 ) (4.7)
 12  2  

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 FACULTY OF CIVIL ENGINEERING DIPLOMA IN CIVIL ENGINEERING
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA LABORATORY MANUAL

Depth of the centre of pressure below pivot point is

h” = h’ + H – d (m) (4.8)

Substitution as before yields the theoretical result of:

2
D2  D
 d   (4.9)
12  2
h' '  Hd
D
d
2

PARTIALLY SUBMERGED VERTICAL PLANE SURFACE

Partially Submerged Vertical Plane Surfaces – Hydrostatic Thrust

Hydrostatic Thrust, F

 Bd 2 
F  ρg 
 N  (4.1)
 2 

Partially Submerged Vertical Plane Surfaces – Experimental Depth of

Centre of Pressure

Moment, M

M = Fh” (Nm) (4.2)

A balancing moment is produced by the weight, W, applied to the hanger at the

end of the balance arm. The moment is proportional to the length of the balance

arm, L.

For static equilibrium the two moments are equal.

That is

Fh” = WL (mgL) (4.3)

By substitution of the derived hydrostatic thrust, F, from (5) we have,

2mL
h' '  (m) (4.4)
Bd 2

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 FACULTY OF CIVIL ENGINEERING DIPLOMA IN CIVIL ENGINEERING
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA LABORATORY MANUAL

Partially Submerged Vertical Plane Surface - Theoretical Depth of Centre

of Pressure

d
h' '  H  (4.5)
3

As an object moves through a fluid, velocity of the fluid varies around the
surface of the object. The variation of velocity produces a variation of pressure
on the surface of the object. Integrating the pressure times the surface area
around the body determines the thrust on the object. We can consider this
PROBLEM STATEMENT single force to act through the average location of the pressure on the surface
of the object. We call the average location of the pressure variation as the
center of pressure in the same way that we call the average location of the
weight of an object as the center of gravity.

APPARATUS

Figure 1 below shows the apparatus used in this experiment.

WAYS AND MEANS

Figure 1 Centre of Pressure Apparatus & Dimension

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 FACULTY OF CIVIL ENGINEERING DIPLOMA IN CIVIL ENGINEERING
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA LABORATORY MANUAL

PROCEDURE
i) Position the balance arm on the knife edges
ii) Locate the weight hanger in the groove at the end of the balance arm
iii) Ensure that the drain valve is closed
iv) Move the counter balance weight until the balance arm is horizontal
v) Start by reducing a small mass (50g) to the weight hanger
vi) Release the water by opening the drain valve until the balance arm is
horizontal
vii) Measure the depth of immersion from the scale on the face of
quadrant (to obtained accurate results, the reading should be taken
from the meniscus)
viii) Repeat the above procedure by reducing a further weight from the
weight hanger depending on the number of samples required (50g
intervals are suggested)
ix) Note any factors that you think are likely to affect the accuracy of your
results

Figure 2 Apparatus Section

Notation:
L = horizontal distance between the pivot point and the balance pan.
D = height of the quadrant face.
H = vertical distance between the bottom of the quadrant face and the pivot
arm
C = centroid of the quadrant.
P = centre of pressure on the quadrant face

Each group is required to submit a technical report of the laboratory result

highlighting the apparatus used, the procedure undertaken for the test, data
RESULTS
acquisition process, analysis carry out, and the relevancy of the setout output
to address the given problem. Discussion of the report should also contain the
discrepancies between experimental and theoretical results.

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