Fluid Mechanics
HYDRO
STATICS
Fluid Mechanics
STABILITY OF
FLOATING BODIES
Fluid Action on Surfaces
Stability of Floating Bodies
Any floating body is subjected by two
opposing vertical forces. One is the body's
weight W which is downward, and the other
is the buoyant force BF which is upward.
The weight is acting at the center of
gravity G and the buoyant force is acting at
the center of buoyancy BO. W and BF are
always equal and if these forces are
collinear, the body will be in upright position
as shown.
ME33 : Fluid Flow 3 Chapter 11: Flow over bodies; lift and drag
Fluid Action on Surfaces
Stability of Floating Bodies
The body may tilt from many causes like wind or wave action causing
the center of buoyancy to shift to a new position BO' as shown below.
ME33 : Fluid Flow 4 Chapter 11: Flow over bodies; lift and drag
Fluid Action on Surfaces
Stability of Floating Bodies
Point M is the intersection of the axis of the body and the line of action
of the buoyant force, it is called metacenter. If M is above G, BF and W
will produce a righting moment RM which causes the body to return to
its neutral position, thus the body is stable. If M is below G, the body
becomes unstable because of the overturning moment OM made by W
and BF. If M coincides with G, the body is said to be just stable which
simply means critical. The value of righting moment or overturning
moment is given by:
ME33 : Fluid Flow 5 Chapter 11: Flow over bodies; lift and drag
Fluid Action on Surfaces
Stability of Floating Bodies
The distance MG is called metacentric height.
Use (-) if G is above BO and (+) if G is below BO. Note that M is always
above BO.
ME33 : Fluid Flow 6 Chapter 11: Flow over bodies; lift and drag
Fluid Action on Surfaces
Stability of Floating Bodies
Value of MBO
ME33 : Fluid Flow 7 Chapter 11: Flow over bodies; lift and drag
Fluid Action on Surfaces
Stability of Floating Bodies
Value of MBO
Assume that the body is rectangular
at the top view and measures B by L
at the waterline when in upright
position. The moment due to the
shifting of the buoyant force is equal
to the moment due to shifting of
wedge.
ME33 : Fluid Flow 8 Chapter 11: Flow over bodies; lift and drag
Fluid Action on Surfaces
Stability of Floating Bodies
Value of MBO
ME33 : Fluid Flow 9 Chapter 11: Flow over bodies; lift and drag
Fluid Action on Surfaces
Stability of Floating Bodies
Value of MBO
ME33 : Fluid Flow 10 Chapter 11: Flow over bodies; lift and drag
Fluid Action on Surfaces
ME33 : Fluid Flow 11 Chapter 11: Flow over bodies; lift and drag
Fluid Action on Surfaces
Stability of Floating Bodies
Value of MBO
ME33 : Fluid Flow 12 Chapter 11: Flow over bodies; lift and drag
Fluid Action on Surfaces
Problem Set 8
Problem 1
A plastic cube of side L and specific gravity of 0.82 is placed vertically
in water. Is the cube stable?
Ans: Since MBO > GBO, M is above G. The body is stable.
ME33 : Fluid Flow 13 Chapter 11: Flow over bodies; lift and drag
Fluid Action on Surfaces
Problem Set 8
Problem 2
A solid wood cylinder of specific gravity of 0.6 is 600 mm in diameter
and 1200 mm high. If placed vertically in oil (s = 0.85), would it be stable?
Ans: Unstable (MBO (26.56 mm) < GBO (176.5 mm))
ME33 : Fluid Flow 14 Chapter 11: Flow over bodies; lift and drag
Fluid Action on Surfaces
Problem Set 8
Problem 3
A rectangular scow 9 m wide, 15 m long, and 3.6 m high has a draft in
sea water of 2.4 m. Its center of gravity is 2.7 m above the bottom of
the scow. Determine the following:
3.1 The initial metacentric height.
3.2 The righting or overturning moment when the scow tilts until
one side is just at the point of submergence.
Ans: MG = 1.315 m, RM = 1,189.3 kN-m
ME33 : Fluid Flow 15 Chapter 11: Flow over bodies; lift and drag
Fluid Action on Surfaces
Problem Set 8
Problem 4 W
A wooden barge of rectangular cross-section is 8
m wide, 4 m high, and 16 m long. It is transporting
in seawater (s = 1.03) a total load of 1,500 kN
including its own weight and cargo. If a weight of
G
75 kN (included in the 1,500-kN) is shifted a h
distance of 2.5 m to one side, it will cause the BO
barge to go down 450 mm in the wedge of
immersion and also rise 450 mm in the
corresponding wedge of emersion. The barge
floats vertically before the shifting of the weight. BF
Compute how far above the waterline is the
center of gravity of the loaded barge. Ans: h = 2.947 m
ME33 : Fluid Flow 16 Chapter 11: Flow over bodies; lift and drag
