CHAPTER 1

HYDROSTATIC FORCE
1.1 INTRODUCTION
• This chapter focuses on how to determine hydrostatic forces
exerted on a plane or curved surface submerged in a static
fluid.
• It covers the force produced by the pressure in a fluid that acts
on the wall and the location of the resultant force, called the
centre of pressure.
1.2 HYDROSTATIC FORCE
• Hydrostatic is the branch of fluid mechanics that related to the
fluids at rest.
• In other word, it's deal with pressures and forces resulting
from the weight of fluids at rest.
• But there is a difference between force and pressure, although
they are closely related.
• In summarize, the formula of hydrostatic forces (F) is:

𝑭=𝑷𝑿𝑨

• P = pressure
• A = area
• Unit in Newton
1.2.1 Hydrostatic Pressure
• The pressure water exerts is called hydrostatic pressure. These
principles always apply to hydrostatic pressure:
a) Pressure depends only on the depth of water above the point
in question (not on the water surface area).
b) Pressure increases in direct proportion to the depth of water.
c) Pressure in a continuous volume of water is the same at all
points that are at the same depth or elevation.
d) Pressure at any point in the water acts in all directions at the
same magnitude.
P = F/A

• P = pressure
• F = hydrostatic force
• A = area over which the force is distributed
1.2.2 Head Pressure, h
• It is often convenient to express pressure in terms of the
height of a column of water in meters instead of terms of kPa.
This is called pressure head, h.
• The water that filled into a tank will produce pressure at the
sides and bottom of the tank.
• If the h is high, the hydrostatic pressure is calculated from the
bottom of the tank:

P = 𝜌gh

• 𝜌 = fluid density
• g = gravity
• h = head pressure
Example 1.1
A fluid with relative density 0.85 fulfill a cylinder of diameter
35cm and 90cm as shown. Determine the hydrostatic pressure
at the base of the cylinder.

Fluid
s = 0.85
 𝜌𝑓
Relative density, s =
𝜌𝑤
𝜌𝑓
0.85 =
1000
𝝆𝒇 = 850 𝒌𝒈Τ𝒎𝟑

𝜋𝑑 2
Volume of Cylinder, v = 𝑥𝐻
4
𝜋(0.35)2
= 𝑥 0.9
4
= 𝟎. 𝟎𝟖𝟕 𝒎𝟑

Mass, m = Density, 𝜌 x Volume, v

= 850 𝑘𝑔Τ𝑚3 x 0.087 𝑚3
= 73.95 kg
Hydrostatic Force, F = 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠, (𝑚) 𝑥 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑖𝑡𝑦, (𝑔)
= 73.95 𝑘𝑔 𝑥 9.81
=𝟕𝟐𝟓. 𝟒𝟓 𝑵

𝜋𝑑 2
Area, A =
4
𝜋(0.35)2
=
4
= 𝟎. 𝟎𝟗𝟔 𝒎𝟐

𝐹
Hydrostatic Pressure, P =
𝐴
𝟕𝟐𝟓.𝟒𝟓 𝑵
=
𝟎.𝟎𝟗𝟔 𝒎𝟐
= 𝟕𝟓𝟓𝟔. 𝟕𝟕 𝑵Τ𝒎𝟐
Example 2
What is the pressure and force at the bottom of the cylindrical
containers?
1.2.3 Definition of Centroid, C
• The centroid gives a definition of the mean position of an area
(volume).
• It is closely related to the center of mass a body.
1.3 HYDROSTATIC FORCE ON
PLANE AREA
• There are several steps to be followed for determine the
hydrostatic force on plane area:
a) Specify the magnitude of the force.
b) Specifying the direction of the force.
c) Specifying the line of action of the force.
d) To determine completely the resultant force acting on
submerged force.
1.3.1 Hydrostatic Force on
Horizontal Plane Area
• This is the simplest cases to find forces on horizontal plane
area.
• By referring figure above, the tank bottom showed a uniform
pressure distribution on the entire plane.
• So, the pressure at the bottom is:

P = 𝜸𝒉
Now, the resultant force, 𝐹𝑟

𝑭𝒓 = 𝐏𝐀 = 𝜸𝒉𝑨
1.3.2 Hydrostatic Force on
Inclined Plane Surface
• Then, the resultant force :

𝑭𝒓 = 𝝆𝒈𝒉𝒄 𝑨

• hcis the vertical distance from the fluid surface to the centroid of
area.
• hpis the center of pressure height from fluid surface

𝑰𝒙𝒙 𝒔𝒊𝒏𝟐 𝜽
𝒉𝒑 = + 𝒉𝒔
𝒉𝒄 𝑨

ℎ𝑝 = center of pressure height from fluid surface

𝐼𝑥𝑥 = second moment of area
𝜃 = angle of the inclined object
A = area of the object
ℎ𝑐 = centroid height from fluid surface
Summary from above formula to determine Hydrostatic
Force on Plane Surface:

a. Find area in contact with fluid.

b. Locate centroid of that area.
c. Find hydrostatic pressure P at centroid.
d. Find force F = PA.
e. The location will not be at the centroid, but at a distance
below the centroid.
(Calculation of centroid, C or 𝒉𝒄)

Centroid means the geometric

center of the object’s shape, or in
other word center of gravity for
the object/mass.
Problem 1.3
• An object is immersed in the water that has specific weight,
γ = 9.81kN/m3. Determine the centroid of object, hc for the
following cases below:

i. If object is immersed horizontally.

ii. If object is immersed vertically.
iii. If object is immersed at an inclination of θ˚.
Case 1:
Case 2:
Case 3:
Problem 3
By referring the Figure below, determine the hydrostatic
force on the plate and location of the center
pressure.
Problem 4
A pool has a water gate AB with 60˚diagonal to the water
surface and has been fixed to pool wall. The water gate has a
rectangular shape and 2m width shown in Figure below.
Calculate the hydrostatic force and determine the center of the
pressure gate.
1.4 HYDROSTATIC FORCE ON
CURVED SURFACE
• Curved surface occurs in many hydraulic
structures for example dams, tanks and cross
sections of circular pipes.
• The direction of the force is different at each
location on the surface.
• The pressure forces are divided into horizontal
and vertical component.
To determine the horizontal force :
𝐹𝐻 = 𝐹2
= 𝜌𝑔𝐴ℎ𝑐
To determine the vertical force :
𝐹𝑉 = 𝐹1 + 𝑊
= 𝜌𝑔ℎ𝑉1 + 𝜌𝑔ℎ𝑉𝐴𝐵𝐶
= 𝜌𝑔𝑉
Where V is the volume on the curve BC

The Resultant or Magnitude Forces, FR is a triangular combination of the

horizontal and vertical parts.

𝑭𝑹 = 𝑭𝑽 𝟐 + 𝑭𝑯 𝟐

The direction of Resultant Force:

𝑭𝑽
𝜽 = 𝒕𝒂𝒏−𝟏
𝑭𝑯
Problem 5
Determine the resultant force on the curved part of the
base by referring Figure below.
Problem 6
Determine the resultant force on the curved part of
the base by referring Figure below.
1.5 HYDROSTATIC FORCE ON A VERTICAL
AND INCLINED RECTANGULAR WALL
• The dam is a structure that is built to hold and retain water.
• The dam surface contact with the water experiences a
hydrostatic force.
• This hydrostatic forces acting perpendicular to the dam wall
surface area that contact with water, either square-shaped
dam or trapezium shaped.
• Dam to withstand the force of gravity, weight or mass of the
dam structure and act on the center of gravity (centroid).
1.5.1 Hydrostatic Force Exerted On A
Vertical Rectangular Wall
A concrete wall with 7m high and 5m long has been used to hold
water up to 4.5m as shown Figure below. Determine: -
i. Hydrostatic Force (F) over the dam wall.
ii. Center of pressure height from surface water (hp).
Solution:
1.5.2 Hydrostatic Force Exerted On An
Inclined Trapezoidal Wall
A concrete dam with trapezium-shaped are 10 m high and 350
m long has been hold water depth of 8m. Determine hydrostatic
force over an inclined dam surfaced and center of pressure.
Solution