POLITEKNIK SULTAN ABDUL HALIM MUADZAM SHAH, JITRA

DCC50222 HYDRAULIC
NOTE

CHAPTER 2 : BUOYANCY AND STABILITY

LEARNING OUTCOMES: CLO1: Explain the fundamentals and principles in hydraulics
engineering. (C3)
Assessment in this topic:, Quiz 2 and Final exam

DISTRIBUTED BY RAHIMAH BINTI RAMLI

2.0 Introduction

Whenever a body is placed over a liquid, either it sinks down or floats on the liquid. If
we analyse the phenomenon of floatation, we find the body, placed over a liquid, is subjected
to the following two forces:
i) Gravitational force.
Act vertically downward through the centroid of the bodies.
ii) Upthrust of the liquid or buoyancy force
Acts vertically upward through the centroid of the displaced volume of the
fluid, which is called the centre of buoyancy.In othe words, the centre of
buoyancy is the centre of ares of the immersed section.
 If gravitational force is more than the upthrust of the liquid, the body will sink down.
But if the gravitational force is less than the upthrust of the liquid, the body will
float.This may be best understood by the Archimerdes Principle
The Archimerdes Principle states,” Whenever a body is immersed wholly or
partially in a fluid, it is buoyed by a force equal to the weight of fluid displaced by the
body”.
Or, in other words, whenever body is immersed wholly or partially in a fluid,
the resultant force acting on it, is equal to the different between the upward pressure of
the fluid on its bottom and the downward force due to gravity.

2.1 Buoyancy and centre of buoyancy

A body in the fluid , whether floating or submerged , is buoyed up by a force equal to
the weight of the fluid displaced. The buoyant force (R) acts vertically upward through
the centroid of the displaced volume of the liquid, which is called the cebtre of
buoyancy.

Centre of buoyancy

R = W = ρgVd ; where Vd is the displaced volume of fluid

Problem 2.1a: A ship displaced a water about 115 m3, Find

a) Weight of the ship if density of sea water 1025 kg/m3
b) Volume of fresh water if the same ship are used

Answer:
a) W = ρgVd
= 1025 x 9.81 x 115 = 1,156,35.75 N
b) V = W/ρg
= = 117.88 m3

Problem 2.1b: A block of wood 4m long, 2m wide and 1m deep is floating horizontally in
water. If density of the wood be 700 kg/m3, find the volume of the water
displaced and the position of the centre of buoyancy.
 Answer:
4m

▼ ρwood = 700 kg/m3 1m

d 2m

i) Volume of the water displaced,V

V = W/ρg
= = 5.6 m3

ii) Position of the buoyancy,b

d b

b = d/2

W = ρgVd
0.7 x 1000 x 9.81 x (4x2x1) = 1000 x 9.81 x (4x2xd)
d = 0.7 m
So, b = 0.7/2 = 0.35m from the bottom of wood

Problem 2.1 c: A stone weight 400N in air and when immersed in water it weight 222N.
Compute the volume of the stone and its specific gravity.

Answer:
i) Volume:
Net weight = Uptrust force,R = 400 -222 = 178 N
R = ρgVd
V = R/ρg = = 0.018m3

ii) Specific gravity:

Gs = weight of object/ weight of water relative
Gs = = 2.2
Problem 2.1 d: An 60mm cube is made of rigid foam material and floats in water with 40mm
below the water surface. Determine the magnitude and direction of the force
required to hold the cube completely submerged in glycerine, which has a
specific gravity of 1.26.

Answer:

60mm
60mm

▼water 60mm

40mm

Weight of cube, W = ρgVd

= 1000 x 9.81 x (0.06x0.06x0.04)
= 1.413 N

Weight of cube when fully submerge in glycerine:

W = ρgVd
= 1260 x 9.81 x (0.06x0.06x0.06)
= 2.67 N

So, force required to hold the cube for completely submerged in glycerine
F = 2.67 -1.413 = 1.26N downward
2.2 Equilibrium of Submerged Bodies

(a)

R R

B
B
C C

W W

(b)
W

C C
B B

R
R W

(a) Stable condition

- Stable condition happen when centre of gravity, cg is located below than centre
of buoyancy, cb.
- When a small force given, the bodies will turn back to the original condition.
- This situation is call stable condition.

(b) Unstable condition

- Unstable condition happen when centre of gravity, cg is located upper than centre
of buoyancy, cb.
- When a force given, the bodies not turn back to the original condition.
- This situation is call unstable condition.
2.2 Equilibrium of Floating Bodies

The condition for stability of floating bodies in fluid is that the centre of gravity of
the body must be located below than the metacentre.
The metacentre (MC) is defined as the point of intersection between the vertical axis
of a body in its equilibrium position and a vertical line through the new position of the centre
of buoyancy in its tilted position, as shown 2.2 (b). Figure 2.2(a) shows the body in its
equilibrium (original) position floating in the fluid where its centre of gravity, cg is above the
centre of buoyancy, cb.

MC MC

MB W cb cg
cg
cb
Fb W

Fb

Figure 2.2 a Figure 2.2 b

The condition of the metacentre will determine the stabilation of the floating bodies.
There are three conditions of metecentre:
(a) Bodies in stable condition
- The buoyant force and the weight produce righting couple that tends to
return to its original position. Thus, the body is said to be in a stable
position.
- Its happen when metacentre (MC) is above of the centre of gravity, cg.
Its means MG positive

(b) Bodies in unstable condition

- The buoyant force and the weight produce righting couple that not tends
to return to its original position. Thus, the body is said to be in a
unstable position.
- Its happen when metacentre (MC) is below than the centre of gravity,
cg. Its means MG negative.

(b) Bodies in neutral condition

- The floating bodies still in the original condition although the the force
given.
- Its happen when metacentre (MC) is coincides with the centre of
gravity, cg of floating body. Its mean MG = 0
2.3) Metacentric Height
The distance between the centre of gravity,cg , of floating bodies and the
metacentre,mc is called metacentric height, MG
As a matter of fact, the metacentric height of a floating body is a direct measure of its
stability. Or in another words, more the metacentric height of a floating bodies, more it will
stable.

High of metacentre ,MG

(a)

MG = MB – GB

The distance to the metacentre from the centre of buoyancy is called MB

and its calculate from
MB = I/Vd
Where I is the second moment of inersia of a horizontal section
of the body taken at the surface of the fluid.
Vd is volume of body submerge
GB is the distance between the centre of gravity and the centre of
Buoyancy

(b) MG = PX/Msin Ө

Example 2.3 a : Find the metecentric height of pontoon to caried the vehicle from the ship
on the sea (ρsea 1150kg/m3). Size of pontoon is 27m long, 19 m wide and
9m high. Mass of pontoon is 500 tones.
Answer:
27m

19m

9m
▼
ρsea 1150kg/m3
d

MG = MB – GB
27m
Base of pontoon
i) MB = ?
MB = I/Vd 19m
I = bd3/12
= = 15,432.75 m4
 Vd = PxLxd
d=?
Wpontoon = ρgVd
500Tx 1000kg x9.81 = 1150 x9.81 (27x19xd)
d = 0.85m
so, Vd = 27x19x0.85 = 436.05 m3

MB = I/Vd
= = 35.39m

ii)GB =? (distance between centroid of object and centre of buoyancy)

4.5m
G

▼ 4.5m 0.425m
0.85m B 0.425m

So, GB = 4.5m – 0.425 = 4.075m

MG = MB – GB
= 35.39 – 4.075 = 31.315m (positive: Pontoon stable in condition)

Example 2.3b: A solid cylinder of 2m diameter has a height of 4m. It is made up of a material
whose specific gravity is 0.8, and is floating in its vertical axis. Find the
metacentric height, and state whether its equilibrium is stable or unstable.
2m
Answer:

▼ Gs=0.8
4m
t

MG = MB – GB

MB = I/Vd
I = πd4/64
= = 0.78m4

Vd = xt = x t = 3.14t
t = Gsx H = 0.8 x 4 = 3.2m
 Vd = 3.14 x 3.2 = 10.048m

MB = = 0.08m

GB = ?
▼

4m G
3.2m
B 2m
1.6m

GB = 2- 1.6 = 0.4m

MG = MB – GB
= 0.08 – 0.4 = -0.32m (MG negative, object unstable)

Example 2.3 c : Weight of pontoon floating in the sea (density 1026 kg/m3) is 91 tones. Find
the metacentric of pontoon with dimension 12.5m x 7.6m x 3m

End of chapter 2, Good luck :Pn Rahimah Ramli

pontoon