Cardiff University

School of Engineering

EN1911- Part A: Environmental Fluid

Mechanics
TUTORIAL NO. 1 - PROPERTIES OF FLUIDS

1. Two flat horizontal plates are moving in opposite directions, each with a velocity of 0.6
m/s. If the plates are 0.025 mm apart, and remain parallel to one another, calculate
the total shear stress required to move one plate relative to the other if the plates are
separated by:-

(i) Water which has a kinematic viscosity of 1.31 x 10-6 m2/s and a density of 1,000
kg/m3.
(ii) Oil which has a kinematic viscosity of 2.60 x 10-4 m2/s and a specific gravity of 0.90.

Ans: (a) 62.88 N/m2,, (b) 11,232 N/m2

2. A block of dimensions 300 mm x 300 mm and mass 30 kg slides down a plane inclined
at 300 to the horizontal, on which there is a thin film of oil of viscosity 2.3 x 10-3 N-s/m2.
Determine the speed of the block if the film thickness is estimated to be 0.03 mm.

Ans: 21.3 m/s

3. Calculate the capillary rise or fall in mm in a glass tube of 6 mm diameter when

immersed in (a) water, and (b) mercury, with both liquids being at 200C. Assume σ =
73 x 10-3 N/m for water and 0.5 N/m for mercury. The contact angles for water and
mercury are zero and 1300 respectively and the specific gravity of mercury is 13.6.

Ans: (a) 5.0 mm rise (b) 1.61 mm fall

4. Eight kilometres below the surface of the ocean the pressure is measured and found to
be 81.7 MN/m2 greater than the surface. Determine the density of sea water at this
depth if the density at the surface is 1,025 kg/m3 and the average bulk modulus of
elasticity is 2,340 MN/m2. Note: For mass conservation the fluid mass remains
constant.

Ans: 1,062 kg/m3

5. Water flows down a model river in a laboratory. The velocity distribution is measured
and found to satisfy a parabolic profile given as:
1 28 October 2015
 2z z 2
u = Us − 2
H H
where the terms are as defined in Figure 1, with u = velocity at elevation z. If the
velocity at the surface (Us) is measured and found to be 0.4m/s, the model depth is
0.3m and the kinematic viscosity is 1.3x10-6 m2/s, then determine the model shear
stress on: (a) the bed and (b) the surface.

Ans: (a) 3.47 x 10-3 Nz (b) Zero

Us

H
z

Figure 1

2 28 October 2015
 Cardiff University
School of Engineering
EN1911- Part A: Environmental Fluid Mechanics
TUTORIAL NO. 2 - PRESSURE INTENSITY

1. Determine the depth of (a) water and (b) oil of S.G. 0.75 which will produce a pressure
of 276 kN/m2.

Ans: (a) 28.14 m, b) 37.52 m

2. Determine the gauge pressure in N/m2 at a depth of 6 m below the free surface of a
body of water. Determine also the absolute pressure when the barometer reads 0.75
m of mercury of S.G. 13.6

Ans: 58,842 N/m2 158,873 N/m2

3. A closed tank contains 1 m of mercury of S.G. 13.6, 1.5 m of water, 3 m of oil of S.G.
0.75 and an air space above the oil. If the gauge pressure at the bottom of the tank is
280 kN/m2, determine the reading which would appear on the gauge if it were moved to
the top of the tank.

Ans: 109,849 N/m2

4. A piston moves vertically under the action of a plunger as shown in Figure 1. If the
areas of the plunger and piston cylinders are 60 mm2 and 0.4 m2 respectively, and the
weight W is 40,000 N, then determine the force F required for the plunger and piston to
remain in equilibrium. If the vessel and connecting passages are filled with oil which
has a specific gravity of 0.75, determine the reading on the pressure gauge.

Ans: 3.8 N, 4.85 x 104 N/m2

5. A manometer consists of a glass tube, inclined at 300 to the horizontal and connected
to a metal cylinder standing upright as shown in Figure 2. The upper end of the
cylinder is connected to a gas supply under pressure. If the ratio r of the diameter of
the cylinder to the tube is 6.4, determine the pressure head in millimeters of water
when the manometer fluid, of S.G. 0.8, shows a deflection of 80 mm along the tube.
Determine also the ratio r that would be required to ensure that the error in pressure
head due to disregarding the change in level in the cylinder would not exceed 0.2 %.

1 25 November 2015
 Ans: 33.56 mm, Water, 31.6

6. The compartments B and C in Figure 3 are closed and filled with air, with the
barometer reading showing 100 kN/m2. Determine the value of “x” for gauge E if the
gauges A and D read as shown. Assume that mercury, of S.G. 13.6, occurs in both
gauges D and E.

Ans: 1.8 m

Plunger
W
7m
5m
Piston

Oil

S.G. = 0.75
Figure 1

Gas S.G. = 0.8 Pa = 0

d
P y

O O
x
D
300 = 6.4
d
D
Figure 2

2 25 November 2015
 Pa
C
Air D
E
A B
Air x
0.3m
200 kN / m2
(Gauge)
Hg

Figure 3

3 25 November 2015
 Cardiff University
School of Engineering
EN1911- Part A: Environmental Fluid Mechanics

TUTORIAL NO. 3 - STATIC FORCES

1. Find the resultant force and the position of the centre of pressure below the free
surface on:-
(a) a vertical square plate of 1.8 m side, and
(b) a vertical circular plate of 1.8 m diameter.
In each case the centre of the plate is 1.2 m below the surface of the water.
b4 πd 4
Note: IC for a square = and IC for a circle =
12 64

Ans: (a) 38.1 kN, 1.425 m, (b) 29.9 kN, 1.369 m

2. Fresh water stands to a depth of 8 m on one side of a vertical sheet pile and salt water
to a depth of 12 m on the other side, as shown in Figure 1. If it is assumed that the
salt water has a S.G. of 1.03, determine the resultant force per unit width on the sheet
pile and the moment per unit width of piling at the base B.
bd 3
Note: IC for a rectangle =
12

Ans: -413.5 kN/m, 2071 kN-m/m

3. Determine the resultant force due to water acting on the submerged rectangular panels
A and B shown in Figure 2, if panel A has an area of 2 m x 1 m and panel B has an
area 2 m x 1.5 m. Hence determine the location of these forces from 01 and 02
respectively.

Ans: 49 kN, 50.2 kN, 2.63 m, 2.55 m

4. The tank shown in Figure 3 contains oil and water to the depths as shown. The oil has
a specific gravity of 0.8 and the tank is 1.5 m wide. Determine the force and the
corresponding line of action below A on the sections AB, BC and AC.

Ans: 52.96 kN, 2 m, 100.03 kN, 4.10 m, 152.99 kN, 3.37 m

5. A sector gate is of radius 3 m and length 1 m and retains water to the maximum level
shown in Figure 4. Determine the magnitude, direction and location of the resultant

1 25 November 2015
 hydrostatic force on the gate when the water elevation is at the maximum retention
level as shown.

Ans: 42.78 kN, 39.30 to horizontal, 1.90 m below surface

6. The profile of the inner face of a dam is a parabola with equation z = 0.3x2, as shown in
Figure 5. The dam retains water to a depth of 30 m above the base. Determine the
horizontal and vertical components of thrust on the dam per unit length and the
corresponding line of action of these thrusts from the heel of the dam. Determine also
the resultant thrust on the dam, its inclination to the vertical and the distance from the
heel to the point at which the line of action of this thrust intersects the horizontal base
of the dam.

Ans: 4.41 MN/m, 1.96 MN/m, 10 m, 3.75 m, 4.83 MN/m, 660, 26.21 m

7. A ship with vertical sides near the water line weighs 40,000 kN and has a draught of 7
m in salt water (density = 1,025 kg/m3). After 2,000 kN of fuel are used up the draught
decreases to 6.7 m. Determine the area of the ship at the water line plane and hence
determine the draught of the ship in fresh water when the ballast of 2,000 kN of fuel
has been used up.

Ans: 663.2 m2, 6.84 m

+ve Force A

Salt
12 m Water
Fresh 8m
Water

Figure 1.

2 25 November 2015
 02
01
450
FB
1m
1.5 m

2m
A 2m
FA
B

Figure 2.

OIL S.G. = 0.8

3m

2m WATER

C
Figure 3.

3m

Hinge
600

Figure 4.

3 25 November 2015
 DAM
30 m x

Heel
Figure 5.

4 25 November 2015
 Cardiff University
School of Engineering
EN1911- Part A: Environmental Fluid Mechanics

TUTORIAL NO. 3 - STATIC FORCES

1. Find the resultant force and the position of the centre of pressure below the free
surface on:-
(a) a vertical square plate of 1.8 m side, and
(b) a vertical circular plate of 1.8 m diameter.
In each case the centre of the plate is 1.2 m below the surface of the water.
b4 πd 4
Note: IC for a square = and IC for a circle =
12 64

Ans: (a) 38.1 kN, 1.425 m, (b) 29.9 kN, 1.369 m

2. Fresh water stands to a depth of 8 m on one side of a vertical sheet pile and salt water
to a depth of 12 m on the other side, as shown in Figure 1. If it is assumed that the
salt water has a S.G. of 1.03, determine the resultant force per unit width on the sheet
pile and the moment per unit width of piling at the base B.
bd 3
Note: IC for a rectangle =
12

Ans: -413.5 kN/m, 2071 kN-m/m

3. Determine the resultant force due to water acting on the submerged rectangular panels
A and B shown in Figure 2, if panel A has an area of 2 m x 1 m and panel B has an
area 2 m x 1.5 m. Hence determine the location of these forces from 01 and 02
respectively.

Ans: 49 kN, 50.2 kN, 2.63 m, 2.55 m

4. The tank shown in Figure 3 contains oil and water to the depths as shown. The oil has
a specific gravity of 0.8 and the tank is 1.5 m wide. Determine the force and the
corresponding line of action below A on the sections AB, BC and AC.

Ans: 52.96 kN, 2 m, 100.03 kN, 4.10 m, 152.99 kN, 3.37 m

5. A sector gate is of radius 3 m and length 1 m and retains water to the maximum level
shown in Figure 4. Determine the magnitude, direction and location of the resultant

1 25 November 2015
 hydrostatic force on the gate when the water elevation is at the maximum retention
level as shown.

Ans: 42.78 kN, 39.30 to horizontal, 1.90 m below surface

6. The profile of the inner face of a dam is a parabola with equation z = 0.3x2, as shown in
Figure 5. The dam retains water to a depth of 30 m above the base. Determine the
horizontal and vertical components of thrust on the dam per unit length and the
corresponding line of action of these thrusts from the heel of the dam. Determine also
the resultant thrust on the dam, its inclination to the vertical and the distance from the
heel to the point at which the line of action of this thrust intersects the horizontal base
of the dam.

Ans: 4.41 MN/m, 1.96 MN/m, 10 m, 3.75 m, 4.83 MN/m, 660, 26.21 m

7. A ship with vertical sides near the water line weighs 40,000 kN and has a draught of 7
m in salt water (density = 1,025 kg/m3). After 2,000 kN of fuel are used up the draught
decreases to 6.7 m. Determine the area of the ship at the water line plane and hence
determine the draught of the ship in fresh water when the ballast of 2,000 kN of fuel
has been used up.

Ans: 663.2 m2, 6.84 m

+ve Force A

Salt
12 m Water
Fresh 8m
Water

Figure 1.

2 25 November 2015
 02
01
450
FB
1m
1.5 m

2m
A 2m
FA
B

Figure 2.

OIL S.G. = 0.8

3m

2m WATER

C
Figure 3.

3m

Hinge
600

Figure 4.

3 25 November 2015
 DAM
30 m x

Heel
Figure 5.

4 25 November 2015
 Cardiff University
School of Engineering

EN1911- Part A: Environmental Fluid

Mechanics
TUTORIAL NO. 4 - MOTION OF FLUIDS

1. Water flows through a pipe 25mm in diameter at a rate of 3.0×10-3 m3/s. Determine
whether the flow will be laminar or turbulent assuming that the dynamic viscosity is
1.3×10-3 N-s/m2 and its density is 1,000kg/m3. If oil of specific gravity 0.9 and dynamic
viscosity 9.6×10-2 N-s/m2 is pumped through the pipe at the same rate determine the
corresponding flow type. For both fluids estimate the critical discharge at which
transition will occur from laminar to transitional flow.

Ans: Turbulent, Laminar, 5.1×10-5 m3/s, 4.2×10-3 m3/s

2. The velocity along the centreline of a nozzle of length L is given by:

u = 2t (1 + 05
. x L)2
where u = velocity in m/s, t = time in seconds from the commencement of flow and x =
horizontal distance from the nozzle inlet. Determine the local and advective
acceleration components when t = 3s, x = 0.5L and L = 0.8m.

Ans: 3.13 m/s2, 87.89 m/s2

3. During a wind tunnel test on a sphere of radius r = 150 mm, it was found that the
velocity of flow, u, along the longitudinal axis of the tunnel passing through the centre
of the sphere at a point a distance x upstream from the centre of the sphere was given
by:

r3
U 1− 3
x

where U = mean velocity of an undisturbed airstream. Determine the advective

acceleration at x = 300 mm and 150 mm for an undisturbed air stream velocity of 60
m/s.

Ans: 3937.5 m/s2, zero

1 10 December 2015
4. A nozzle is designed so that its cross-sectional area changes linearly form the base to
the tip (i.e. with x) as shown in Figure 1. The inside diameters of the nozzle at the base
and tip are 90 mm and 30 mm respectively, and the nozzle is 360 mm long. Determine
the equation for the variation in area and the advective acceleration at a section
midway between the base and the tip. Assume that the flow is one-dimensional and
that the discharge is 0.02 m3/s

Ans: A = -0.0157x + 0.0064, 142.6 m/s2

5. Water flows down a 10m wide rectangular concrete lined channel which has smooth
sidewalls. The vertical velocity profile is measured across the channel and found to be
given by the following relationship:

1
z 7
u = U max
H

where u = velocity at elevation z above the bed, Umax = maximum velocity on the
surface and H = depth of flow. If the river depth is 1m and the maximum surface
velocity is 1m/s, determine the discharge Q, the mean velocity U, the elevation above
the bed where the mean velocity occurs.

Ans: 8.75m3/s, 0.875m/s, 0.39m

6. Oil flows between two parallel flat plates which are a distance t = 12 mm apart as
shown in Figure 2. The velocity of the oil has a maximum value of 0.5 m/s along the
centreline axis mid-way between two plates. At a distance z from this centreline axis
the velocity is given by:-

t2
u = C − z2
4

where C = a constant. Determine the constant C, the flow rate per unit width between
the plates and the mean velocity. Hence, calculate the distance from the centreline
axis to the point where the measured velocity would be equal to the mean velocity.

Ans: 13,889, 4 x 10-3 m3/s/m, 0.33 m/s, 3.5 mm

7. A fluid of constant density flows at the rate of 15 /s along a pipe AB of 100 mm

diameter. This pipe branches at B into three pipes, with BC and BD each being of 25
mm diameter and BE of 50 mm diameter. The flow rates are such that the flow through
BC is three times that through BE and the velocity through BD is 4 m/s. Determine the
flow rates in the three branch pipes BC, BD and BE and the velocities in pipes AB, BC
and BE.

2 10 December 2015
 Ans: 9.78l/s, 1.96l/s, 3.26 l/s, 1.91 m/s, 19.92 m/s, 1.66 m/s

8. A closed tank of fixed volume is used for the continuous mixing of two fluids which
enter through pipes A and B and are discharged completely mixed through pipe C as
shown in Figure 3. The diameter of the inlet pipe A is 150 mm and the fluid flows in at
the rate of 56 /s and has a specific gravity of 0.93. At B the inlet pipe is 100 mm
diameter, the flow rate is 30 /s and the liquid has a specific gravity of 0.87. If the
diameter of the outlet pipe at C is 175 mm, determine the mass flow rate, the velocity
and the specific gravity of the mixture discharged.

Ans: 78.2 kg/s, 3.58 m/s, 0.909

0.36m

90mm x 30mm

Figure 1.

z Umax = 0.5ms-1
12 mm

Figure 2.

3 10 December 2015
 d = 150 mm d = 100 mm

A B

56 ls-1 30 ls-1

C d = 175 mm

Q?

Figure 3.

4 10 December 2015
 Cardiff University
School of Engineering

EN1911- Part A: Environmental Fluid

Mechanics
TUTORIAL NO. 5 - MOMENTUM PRINCIPLE

1. A jet of water 100 mm in diameter and of velocity 25 m/s strikes a flat plate normal to
the direction of flow. Determine the force exerted on the plate if the plate is:- (a)
stationary, and (b) moving with a velocity of 10 m/s in the same direction as the jet.

Ans: (a) 4908 N, (b) 2945 N

2. A jet of water from a nozzle is deflected through an angle of 600 from its original
direction by a curved stationary vane as shown in Figure 1. The jet remains in a
horizontal plane throughout, enters tangentially with a velocity of 30 m/s and leaves
with a velocity of 25 m/s. If the discharge from the nozzle is 8 x 10-4 m3/s, determine
the magnitude and direction of the resultant force.

Ans: 22.27 N, 51.050 to x axis

3. A stationary curved vane deflects a 50 mm diameter jet of water through 1500. Due to
friction over the surface of the vane, the water velocity on leaving the vane is only 80%
of its original velocity. Determine the flow rate required to produce a force of
magnitude 2000 N on the vane.

Ans: 0.0475 m3/s

4. Water discharges from a slot jet at a rate of QO m3/s and with a velocity of U m/s. The
jet then strikes against a smooth inclined flat plate at an angle of θ0 to the normal of the
plate as shown in Figure 2. If the surface of the plate is frictionless such that the
velocity is unaltered in magnitude by contact (i.e. U = U1 = U2), determine the force on
the plate and the division of the flow into its components Q1 and Q2.

QO (1 + Sinθ ) QO (1 − Sinθ )
Ans: FN = ρQOUCosθ Q1 = Q2 =
2 2

1 4 January 2016
5. A square plate of uniform thickness has a mass of 12.7 kg, a side length of 300 mm
and is hung vertically so that it can swing freely about its horizontal hinged top edge. A
horizontal jet of water, of diameter 20 mm, strikes the plate with a velocity of 15 m/s.
The centreline of the jet is 150 mm below the upper edge of the plate so that when the
plate is vertical the jet strikes the plate normal to its centre. Determine (a) the force
which must be applied to the lower edge of the plate to keep it vertical, and (b) the
inclination to the vertical which the plate will assume under the action of the jet if
allowed to swing freely.

Ans: 35.34 N, 34.580

6. The velocity distribution for a steady flow pipe is measured and found to satisfy the
parabolic velocity profile:-

u = K (R2 - r2)

where u = velocity at radial distance r from the centreline, K = constant and R = pipe
radius. Determine the mean velocity U and the radial distance from the centreline
where the velocity equates to the mean velocity.

KR 2
Ans: , r = 0.707R
2

Figure 1

2 4 January 2016
Figure 2

C:\CU\teaching\EN1911\fluid\RA\Tutorial Sheets and Solutions\EN1911 Tut_5.doc