1.
0 TITLE
Determination Of Centre of Pressure
1.1 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.
Large hydraulic systems must include a variety of engineering features, including dams, flood control gates, and
fluid storage tanks. Many of these structures are developed to offer water supply and irrigation and they play a
crucial part in sustaining the well-being of mankind. Understanding the behaviour of fluid forces is necessary for
the design of these components. Such designs necessitate not only the measurement of the resultant force's size but
also of its "centre of pressure," or point at which it acts. Engineers can build the hydraulic structure to withstand
the hydrostatic forces using this knowledge.
In this experiment, we will be using an immersed quadrant tank (Figure 1) pivoted at a knife-edge pivot to
determine the centre of pressure for different values of hydrostatic force. This is achieved by computing the
moment, M required to counter the moment induced by the hydrostatic force due to water acting on the quadrant
tank. The restoring (counter-clockwise) moment needed to overcome the clockwise moment (about the pivot)
caused by water is effected by placing known weights on the left-hand end of the apparatus. In the experiment, if
the clockwise moment (induced by water) just balances the counter-clockwise moment (caused by the weights),
the moment arm and hence the centre of pressure can be computed. The latter can then be compared with that
calculated theoretically.
1.2 OBJECTIVES
To determine the hydrostatic thrust acting on a plane surface immersed in water and the position of centre of
pressure.
1.3 LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of the laboratory works, students should be able to:
i) Conduct and construct the centre of pressure laboratory experiments.
ii) Analyze and interpret the data based on obtained data.
1.4 THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
The location in a plane where it may be said that the entire liquid thrust is acting normally to that plane is known
as the centre of pressure. The forces acting are the weight force imparted to the balance and the hydrostatic
pressure thrust on the end face of the quadrant, which are achieved by achieving an equilibrium condition between
the moments acting on the balance arm of the test apparatus.
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
F=ρgBD d− ( D2 ) (N )
Fully Submerged Vertical Plane Surfaces – Experimental Depth of Centre of Pressure
Moment, M
M = Fh” (Nm)
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.
Fh” = WL (mgL)
By substitution of the derived hydrostatic thrust, F
mL
h''=
( D2 )
ρBD d-
(m)
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
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+ Ah2
[ ( )]
D2 2
D
I x =BD + d− ( m4 )
12 2
Depth of the centre of pressure below pivot point is
h” = h’ + H – d (m)
Substitution as before yields the theoretical result of:
( )
2 2
D D
+ d−
12 2
h''= +H−d
D
d−
2
PARTIALLY SUBMERGED VERTICAL PLANE SURFACE
Partially Submerged Vertical Plane Surfaces – Hydrostatic Thrust
Hydrostatic Thrust, F
F=ρg
Bd 2
2 ( ) (N)
Partially Submerged Vertical Plane Surfaces – Experimental Depth of Centre of Pressure
Moment, M
M = Fh” (Nm)
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)
By substitution of the derived hydrostatic thrust, F, from (5) we have,
2mL
h''=
ρ Bd 2 (m)
Partially Submerged Vertical Plane Surface - Theoretical Depth of Centre of Pressure
d
h''=H−
3
1.5 PROBLEM STATEMENT
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 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.
1.6 APPARATUS
Figure 1 below shows the apparatus used in this experiment.
Figure 1 Centre of Pressure Apparatus & Dimension
1.7 PROCEDURE
i) The balance arm is positioned on the knife edges.
ii) The weight hanger is located in the groove at the end of the balance arm.
iii) Ensure that the drain valve is kept closed.
iv) The counter balance weight is moved until the balance arm is horizontal.
v) A small mass of 50g is reduced to the weight hanger.
vi) The water is released by opening the drain valve until the balance arm is horizontal.
vii) Depth of immersion from the scale on the face of quadrant is measured.
viii) Step i-vii is repeated by reducing the weight further from the weight hanger.
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
1.8 RESULT AND ANALYSIS
Initial height water reading, H = 160mm = 0.160m
Initial weight: 400g + 50g = 450g
Area= 0.1 m x 0.067 m
= 0.0067 m2
Where,
L = 0.27m
D = 0.1 m
H = 0.205 m
C = 0.050 m
P = 0.025 m
B = 0.0075 m
For partially submerged depth, d1 (m)
Load (g) Water level (m)
50 0.044
100 0.064
For fully submerged depth, d2 (m)
Load (g) Water level (m)
300 0.122
400 0.150
Sample of calculation
d2 (m) W(N) A(m2) F theory(N) F exp h” (exp) h” (theory) (m) Moment,
ρg((bd^2)/2) (N) (m) M = Fh”
WL/F (Nmm)
0.122 3.0 0.0067 5.4755 5.1799 0.1507 0.1593 0.8252
0.150 4.0 0.0067 8.2772 7.3336 0.1329 0.1500 1.1000
d1 (m) W(N) A(m2) F theory (N) F exp (N) h” (exp) h” Moment,
ρg((bd^2)/2) (m) (theory) M = Fh”
WL/F (m) (Nm)
H-(d/3)
0.044 0.5 0.0067 0.7122 0.7422 0.1931 0.1853 0.1375
0.064 1.0 0.0067 1.5068 1.9470 0.2039 0.1787 0.3072
1.9 DISCUSSION
From the experiment we can see that
there are difference value in hp of
experiment and hp of theoretical. This
may occur due to human error in
reading of
balance bridge arm level. This would
lead to an inaccurate water height
reading,
which would consequently affect
everything height was used to
calculate other than
that, there might be human error in
reading the height of the water in the
chamber.
This also would cause the height
measurement and all subsequent
calculations.
Next, the error during splashing the
water into the balance bridge arm
might
occur too. When we poured the water
and of course this would cause an
artificial
increase in weight due to the applied
masses. The applied masses were not
weight
prior to their application onto the
balance bridge arm. Thus, the applied
mass may
weight more due to accumulation of
oils from being handled. However, all
those
errors that might be occurred are so
minor that is likely that even if they
were present
in the experiment, they would have
little to no effect on the result
From the experiment we can see that
there are difference value in hp of
experiment and hp of theoretical. This
may occur due to human error in
reading of
balance bridge arm level. This would
lead to an inaccurate water height
reading,
which would consequently affect
everything height was used to
calculate other than
that, there might be human error in
reading the height of the water in the
chamber.
This also would cause the height
measurement and all subsequent
calculations.
Next, the error during splashing the
water into the balance bridge arm
might
occur too. When we poured the water
and of course this would cause an
artificial
increase in weight due to the applied
masses. The applied masses were not
weight
prior to their application onto the
balance bridge arm. Thus, the applied
mass may
weight more due to accumulation of
oils from being handled. However, all
those
errors that might be occurred are so
minor that is likely that even if they
were present
in the experiment, they would have
little to no effect on the result
From the experiment we can see that
there are difference value in hp of
experiment and hp of theoretical. This
may occur due to human error in
reading of
balance bridge arm level. This would
lead to an inaccurate water height
reading,
which would consequently affect
everything height was used to
calculate other than
that, there might be human error in
reading the height of the water in the
chamber.
This also would cause the height
measurement and all subsequent
calculations.
Next, the error during splashing the
water into the balance bridge arm
might
occur too. When we poured the water
and of course this would cause an
artificial
increase in weight due to the applied
masses. The applied masses were not
weight
prior to their application onto the
balance bridge arm. Thus, the applied
mass may
weight more due to accumulation of
oils from being handled. However, all
those
errors that might be occurred are so
minor that is likely that even if they
were present
in the experiment, they would have
little to no effect on the result
From the experiment, we can infer that the values of hp experimental and hp theoretical differ. This is because we
are not reading the measurement at eye level, which could be the result of human mistake while reading the
balancing bridge arm level. This would result in an incorrect reading of the water level, which would ultimately
affect the results that we have obtained. In addition, human error in reading the height of the water in the chamber
may also occur. The height measurement and all calculations would likewise be negatively impacted by this error.
Next, the splashing of water will also contribute to the outcome's mistake. The imposed masses would result in an
artificial weight gain when we pour the water hastily. Furthermore, no weights were applied to the applied masses
before they were applied to the balancing bridge arm. Although it is likely that even if they were present in the
experiment, all of the potential flaws would have little to no impact on the outcome.
2.0 CONCLUSION
We have conducted an experiment of centre of pressure. We found that there is an error when calculating the
experimental depth from the water surface to the centre of pressure due to the incorrect reading of the depth by
using a ruler. Based on the objective of this experiment, we are able to determine the position of the centre of
pressure of the rectangular face of the torroid based on data that we achieved. We find that the centre of pressure is
always below the centre of gravity because the pressure is higher at deeper points on vertical surface. Therefore,
the position of centre of pressure is not same as centre of gravity in a vertical surface.
2.1 REFERENCE
https://www.scribd.com/doc/305411308/Hydrostatic-force-Centre-of-Pressure-Lab-Report
https://www.tecquipment.com/centre-of-pressure
https://engineerstoday.blogspot.com/2011/11/experiment-hydraulics-bench-and.html
Appendix
