Last Rev.

: 11 JUN 08 Center of Pressure Lab : MIME 3470 Page 1

Grading Sheet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MIME 3470Thermal Science Laboratory
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Laboratory . 8
CENTER OF PRESSURE
Students Names / Section
POINTS SCORE TOTAL
PRESENTATIONApplicable to Both MS Word and Mathcad Sections
GENERAL APPEARANCE, ORGANIZATION, ENGLISH, & GRAMMAR
5
ORDERED DATA, CALCULATIONS & RESULTSMATHCAD
ON A SINGLEGRAPH, PLOT OF CP vs. h FOR ALL INCLINATIONS
25
ON SAME GRAPH, PLOT WETTED PLANE CENTROID vs. h
15
PERCENT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CALCULATED &
EXPERIMENTAL MOMENTS
10
DISCUSSION OF RESULTS
WHERE DOES CP LIE W.R.T. WETTED CENTROID, WHY?
10
WHEN DO THEY COINCIDE?
10
DERIVE ONLY KLINE-MCCLINCOCK UNCERTAINTY FOR CP
10
CONCLUSIONS
10
ORIGINAL DATASHEET
5
TOTAL
100

COMMENTS
GRADERd
Last Rev.: 11 JUN 08 Center of Pressure Lab : MIME 3470 Page 2

Last Rev.: 11 JUN 08 Center of Pressure Lab : MIME 3470 Page 3
MIME 3470Thermal Science Laboratory
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Laboratory . 8
CENTER OF PRESSURE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
LAB PARTNERS: NAME NAME
NAME NAME
NAME NAME
SECTION
EXPERIMENT TIME/DATE: TIME, DATE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
OBJECTIVEThe purpose of this exercise is to experimentally
determine the center of pressure on a plane surface partially or
totally submerged in a liquid. The center of pressure is defined as
the point of application of the resultant hydrostatic force applied
on the plane. As the pressure varies with the distance from the
liquid free surface, the pressure center will not coincide with the
centroid of the plane. Thus the experiment also compares the
locations of the center of pressure with respect to the centroid.
Figure 1Schema and Photo of Center of Pressure Apparatus
THEORYRefer to Figure 1, which contains a photograph and a
diagram of the experimental apparatus. In the figure, the differential
force, dF, is acting on the differential area dA = B dy, where B is the
width of the tank. This differential force is defined by
( ) ( )
( ) ( )dy h y gB
dA h y g dF


cos
cos
(1)
and the moment of this differential force about point O, dM, is
( ) ( ) ydy h y gB dM cos . (2)
Case 1: Plane Partially Submerged (see Figure 1, Case 1)
The force on the plane is found by integrating dF from h/cos() to R2.
( ) ( )
( )
( )
( )
( ) ( )
( )
( ) 1
1
]
1

,
_

,
_

1
1
]
1

cos
cos
cos cos
cos
cos
cos /
cos /
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
h h
hR
R
gB
hy
y
gB
dy h y gB F
R
h
R
h
( )
( )
1
1
]
1

+
cos
cos
2 2
2
2
2
2
h
hR
R
gB F (3)
Similarly, an expression for the moment is found by
integrating Equation 2 between the same limits,
( ) ( )
( )
( )
( )
( ) ( )
( ) ( ) 1
1
]
1

,
_

,
_

1
1
]
1

2
2
3
3 2
2
3
2
2 3
2 3
2 3
2 3
2
2
cos cos
cos cos
cos
cos
cos /
cos /
h
h
h R
h
R
gB
y
h
y
gB
ydy h y gB M
R
h
R
h
( )
( ) 1
1
]
1

+
2
3 2
2
3
2
6
2 3
cos
cos
h R
h
R
gB M (4)
Case 2: Plane Fully Submerged (see Figure 1, Case 2)
Integrate Equations 1 and 2 between the limits R1 and R2 to obtain
( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( )
( )
( ) ( )
1
]
1

1
1
]
1

,
_

,
_

1
1
]
1

1 2
2
1
2
2
1
2
1
2
2
2
2
2
2 2
2
2
1
2
1
R R h R R gB
hR
R
hR
R
gB
hy
y
gB dy h y gB F
R
R
R
R
cos
cos cos
cos cos
( )
( )
( )
1
]
1

h R R R R gB F
1 2 1 2
2
cos
(5)
and
( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( )
1
1
]
1

,
_

,
_

1
1
]
1

2 3 2 3
2 3
2
1
3
1
2
2
3
2
2 3
2
1
2
1
R
h
R R
h
R
gB
y
h
y
gB ydy h y gB M
R
R
R
R
cos cos
cos cos
( )
( ) ( )
1
]
1

,
_

2
1
2
2
3
1
3
2
2 3
R R
h
R R gB M
cos
(6)
Case 1
dy
y
1
R
2
R

h
O
dF
W
h
dF
dy
y
1
R
2
R
3
R

Case 2
B is the width
of the tank
(into the page)
Plane surface for which
the resultant hydro-
static force is desired
O
Cradle
Last Rev.: 11 JUN 08 Center of Pressure Lab : MIME 3470 Page 4
THE CENTER OF PRESSURE LOCATION, MEASURED FROM POINT
O, CAN BE DETERMINED BY DIVIDING THE MOMENT BY THE
FORCE.
EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE Water is contained in a qua-
drant of a semicircular tank assembly that it is allowed to rotate about
Point O (see Figure 1). The cylindrical sides of the tank have their axes
coincident with the center of rotation, Point O, of the tank assembly.
Therefore, the total fluid pressure acting on these surfaces exerts no
moment about that center. The only moment present is due to the fluid
pressure acting on the plane surface. This moment is measured
experimentally by applying weights, W, to a weight hanger mounted
on the semicircular assembly on the opposite side to the quadrant tank.
The moment-arm length for this weight is R3. A second tank, situated
on the same side of the assembly as the weight hanger provides a
trimming facility and allows different angles of equilibrium to be
achieved. The angular position of the plane, , and the distance to the
waters surface, h, are measured respectively on a protractor scale
mounted on the tank and a linear scale on the back panel.
Last Rev.: 11 JUN 08 Center of Pressure Lab : MIME 3470 Page 5
1. Before starting, be sure that the zero line on the back panel lines up
with the center of rotation and the zero degree line on the tank.
NOTE: The axle on which the experiment rotates was mounted
10mm too high and that amount should be added to h measurements.
2. Also, level the base plate.
3. With the quadrant tank empty, place a 50g weight on the weight
hanger. Pour water into the quadrant tank until zero balance is
reestablished. Record the weight and distance to the waters free
surface, h.
4. Repeat this procedure increasing in 100g increments.
5. Empty the quadrant tank and remove all the weights.
6. Add water to the trimming tank until it balances at an angle
specified by the teaching assistant.
7. Repeat the Steps 3 through 5 for this new angle.
In the report include the following :
Calculations
Make a single plot of center of pressure (CP) measured from the
center of rotation, point O, versus distance to the water surface,
h, for all inclinations considered. On the same plot, graph the
centroid of the wetted surface from the center of rotation vs. h.
Verify the calculated moment with the experimental moment
obtained from the weights by expressing the difference as a percent.
Discussion of Results
Specify where does the center of pressure lie with respect to the
wetted centroid of the plane and why? In what case does one
expect them to coincide?
Assuming that the only error in the measurements is incurred by
the measurement of the distance to the waters free surface, just
derive an uncertainty analysis for the center of pressure
calculation for Case 2 using the Kline-McClintock method
presented in the Jet Impact experiment. There is a separate
downloadable file describing the Kline-McClintock method.
Last Rev.: 11 JUN 08 Center of Pressure Lab : MIME 3470 Page 6
ORDERED DATA, CALCULATIONS, and RESULTS
Last Rev.: 11 JUN 08 Center of Pressure Lab : MIME 3470 Page 7
DISCUSSION OF RESULTS
Specify where does the center of pressure lie with respect to the
wetted centroid of the plane and why?
Answer
In what case does one expect them to coincide?
Answer
Assuming that the only error in the measurements is incurred by
the measurement of the distance to the waters free surface, just
derive an uncertainty analysis for the center of pressure calculation
for Case 2 using the Kline-McClintock method presented in the Jet
Impact experiment.
Derive here using Equation Editor
CONCLUSIONS
Last Rev.: 11 JUN 08 Center of Pressure Lab : MIME 3470 Page 8
DATA SHEET FOR CENTER OF PRESSURE
Time/Date: ___________________
Lab Partners: _______________________ _______________________ _______________________
_______________________ _______________________ _______________________
Particulars of the Apparatus: Inner Radius, R1: ___________ cm Outer Radius, R2: ___________ cm
Lever Arm, R3: ___________ cm Inside Tank Width, B: ___________ cm
Smallest Graduation of Measure of Distance to Free Surface, h ___________ cm
Moment Data at Various Inclinations:
0 Inclination 10 Inclination
Mass Suspended
from Hanger, m
(g)
Distance to
Free Surface, h
(cm)
Mass Suspended
from Hanger, m
(g)
Distance to
Free Surface, h
(cm)
d
d
d
d
d
d
d
d
d
d
20 Inclination 30 Inclination
Mass Suspended
from Hanger, m
(g)
Distance to
Free Surface, h
(cm)
Mass Suspended
from Hanger, m
(g)
Distance to
Free Surface, h
(cm)
d
d
d
d
d
d
d
d
d
d