CEE 367 FLUID MECHANICS LABORATORY

LAB 2 Forces on a Sluice Gate

Prepared For:
Sayed Abedin
Department of Civil Engineering
University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Prepared By:
Farid Najand

Laboratory Date: 01-31-2013

Submission Date: 02-19-2013

A. Summary
A Sluice gate is a mechanism used to control water flow. The gates often slide vertically on a
frame, which allows the water to either flow out of a space or to be contained. Laboratory 2
explores the forces applied on a sluice gate. This experiment helps visualize water pressures at
different depths by the control of water flow. Three methods are used to estimate these forces;
hydrostatic pressure method, actual pressure method and the momentum theorem method.
These methods are applied with the sluice gate completely closed, open .5 inch, and also with the
gate open at .75 inch. During the procedure, with the gate completely closed, observations are
made and monometer readings are recorded for data. With the gate open, water flow and
pressure changes emerge. A water level of 8 inches is maintained in the upstream side while the
sluice gate experiences forces acting upon it. Elevation head, piezometric head and pressure
head is determined with data collected from the experiment. Based on the results there is a
relationship between the measured head and the monometer number. As the monometer
number increases, the elevation head also increases.

B. Objective
The main objective of this lab is to analyze the forces acting upon a sluice gate that is necessary
for a proper design. Three methods used to estimate these forces are: hydrostatic pressure,
actual pressure and momentum theorem. A proper understanding of how these forces act is
imperative to the design of an efficient sluice gate.

C. Procedure
Sluice gate experiment will be conducted into three different steps. During each experimental
procedure, it is essential to maintain consistently eight inches upstream water level inside the
channel. Then place the sluice gate inside the channel and block the water flow completely. Once
the Sluice gate is kept on right location, measure the temperature and observe the water
pressure from the manometer. The sluice gate has several attached manometer at different
depth and record the pressure height against the Sluice gate. Second, place the Sluice gate at half
an inch above the channel floor and maintain the same amount of eight inches upstream water
flow. Then observe the pressure change and record data. Third, place the sluice gate at .75 inches
above the channel floor and once again maintain the same amount of eight inches upstream
water flow. Then, observe the pressure change and record data.

D. Data Tables
Method 1 Data - Closed
Width of the channel (m), B= 6= 0.1524 m
Water temperature (C), T= 23.6
Specific weight of the fluid (N/m3), = 9810
Depth of the water level, upstream side (m), h1 = 8 = 0.2032 m
Flow rate (m3/s), Q = 0 m3/s

Data Table 1- Sluice Gate Closed

Manometer No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13

Hydrostatic Method
pc
F (N)

996.696
30.86536279

Height
Inches
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.75
1
1
1.25
1.25

Meters
0.0127
0.0127
0.0127
0.0127
0.0127
0.0127
0.0127
0.0127
0.0191
0.0254
0.0254
0.0318
0.0318

Elevation Head
Inches
0.2
0.3
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3.5
4.5
5.5
7
8
10

Meters
0.0051
0.0076
0.0127
0.0254
0.0381
0.0508
0.0635
0.0889
0.1143
0.1397
0.1778
0.2032
0.254

Piezometric Head
Inches
7.7
7.7
7.7
7.7
7.7
7.8
7.8
7.8
7.8
7.8
7.8
7.8
7.8

Meters
0.19558
0.19558
0.19558
0.19558
0.19558
0.19812
0.19812
0.19812
0.19812
0.19812
0.19812
0.19812
0.19812

Data Result Table 1 -Sluice Gate Closed

Actual Pressure Method
Manometer Pressure Head Pressure (Pa)
Force (N)
1
0.19048
1868.6088
3.61665496
2
0.18798
1844.0838
3.569187313
3
0.18288
1794.0528
3.472353313
4
0.17018
1669.4658
3.231217667
5
0.15748
1544.8788
2.99008202
6
0.14732
1445.2092
2.797173502
7
0.13462
1320.6222
2.556037856
8
0.10922
1071.4482
2.073766562
9
0.08382
822.2742
2.393508632
10
0.05842
573.1002
2.21844795
11
0.02032
199.3392
0.77163407
12
-0.00508
-49.8348
-0.241515388
13
-0.05588
-548.1828
-2.656669267
29.69006385
Total Force =

Pressure
Head
Meters
0.19048
0.18798
0.18288
0.17018
0.15748
0.14732
0.13462
0.10922
0.08382
0.05842
0.02032
-0.00508
-0.05588

Momentum
Theorem Method
M1 (m3) 0.003146
M2 (m3)
0
F (N)
30.86226

Method 2 Data Open 0.5

Depth of the water level, upstream side (m), h1 = 8 = 0.2032 m
Depth of the water level, downstream side (m), h2 = 0.5 = 0.0127 m
Difference in the water levels (m), = 7.5 = 0.1905 m
Sluice gate opening (m), t = 0.5 = 0.0127 m
Flow rate (m3/s), Q = .00336

Data Table 2- Sluice Gate Open 0.5"

Piezometric
Height
Elevation Head
Head
Inc
Inches
Meters
Inches
Meters
hes
Meters
0.5
0.0127
0.7
0.0178
5.8 0.14732
0.5
0.0127
0.8
0.0203
6.4 0.16256
0.5
0.0127
1
0.0254
6.4 0.16256
0.5
0.0127
1.5
0.0381
6.9 0.17526
0.5
0.0127
2
0.0508
7.1 0.18034
0.5
0.0127
2.5
0.0635
7.2 0.18288
0.5
0.0127
3
0.0762
7.3 0.18542
0.5
0.0127
4
0.1016
7.3 0.18542
0.75
0.0191
5
0.127
7.3 0.18542
1
0.0254
6
0.1524
7.4 0.18796
1
0.0254
7.5
0.1905
7.3 0.18542
1.25
0.0318
8.5
0.2159
7.4 0.18796
1.25
0.0318
10.5
0.2667
7.5
0.1905

Manometer No.

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13

Pressure
Head
Meters
0.12952
0.14226
0.13716
0.13716
0.12954
0.11938
0.10922
0.08382
0.05842
0.03556
-0.00508
-0.02794
-0.0762

Data Result Table 2 -Sluice Gate Open 0.5"

Hydrostatic
Method
pc
F (N)

934.4025
27.12776

M. #
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12

Actual Pressure Method

Pressure Head Pressure (Pa)
0.12952
1270.5912
0.14226
1395.5706
0.13716
1345.5396
0.13716
1345.5396
0.12954
1270.7874
0.11938
1171.1178
0.10922
1071.4482
0.08382
822.2742
0.05842
573.1002
0.03556
348.8436
-0.00508
-49.8348
-0.02794
-274.0914
Total =

Force (N)
2.459203856
2.701098985
2.604264985
2.604264985
2.459583597
2.26667508
2.073766562
1.591495269
1.668202986
1.350359622
-0.192908517
-1.328334634
21.77891593

Momentum Theorem
Method
M1 (m3)
M2 (m3)
F (N)

0.003183486
0.000640373
24.94793814

Method 3 Data Open 0.75

Depth of the water level, upstream side (m), h1 = 8 = 0.2032 m
Depth of the water level, downstream side (m), h2 = 0.75 = 0.0191 m
Difference in t e water levels (m), = 7.25 = 0.1841 m
Sluice gate opening (m), t = 0.75 = 0.0191 m
Flow rate (m3/s), Q = .00496

Data Table - Sluice Gate Open 0.75"

Manometer No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13

Height
Inches
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.75
1
1
1.25
1.25

Elevation Head

Meters
0.0127
0.0127
0.0127
0.0127
0.0127
0.0127
0.0127
0.0127
0.0191
0.0254
0.0254
0.0318
0.0318

Inches
0.95
1.05
1.25
1.75
2.25
2.75
3.25
4.25
5.25
6.25
7.75
8.75
10.75

Meters
0.0241
0.0267
0.0317
0.0444
0.0571
0.0698
0.0825
0.1079
0.1333
0.1587
0.1968
0.2222
0.273

Piezometric Head
Inches
5.1
5.8
6.2
6.5
6.9
7
7.1
7.1
7.1
7.2
7.2
7.2
7.2

Pressure Head

Meters
0.12954
0.14732
0.15748
0.1651
0.17526
0.1778
0.18034
0.18034
0.18034
0.18288
0.18288
0.18288
0.18288

Meters
0.10544
0.12062
0.12578
0.1207
0.11816
0.108
0.09784
0.07244
0.04704
0.02418
-0.01392
-0.03932
-0.09012

Data Result Table 3 - Sluice Gate Open 0.75"

Hydrostatic
Method
pc
F
(N)

Manometer

Actual Pressure Method

Pressure Head
Pressure (Pa)

Force (N)

Momentum Method

903.0105

0.10544

1034.3664

2.00199548

M1

0.0032273

26.912732

0.12062

1183.2822

2.290219032

M2

0.0009391

3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12

0.12578
0.1207
0.11816
0.108
0.09784
0.07244
0.04704
0.02418
-0.01392
-0.03932

1233.9018
1184.067
1159.1496
1059.48
959.8104
710.6364
461.4624
237.2058
-136.5552
-385.7292

2.388192256
2.291737997
2.243510868
2.05060235
1.857693833
1.375422539
1.343243212
0.918214164
-0.528599717
-1.869367137

F (N)

22.446857

Total =

18.76083173

E. Sample Calculations
Variables Defined:

pc : Pressure at centroid
h : height sluice gate is submerged
B : width of channel
pi : pressure over the manometer
hi : pressure head
Q : flow rate
M1 : upstream momentum estimate
t : sluice gate opening

Flow Rate for Closed Method:

Hydrostatic Pressure Method for Sluice Gate Closed:

( )

)(

Static Pressure at Monometer

= (9810 N) (.19048) = 1868.60 Pa

Force at Monometer

= (1868.60 * 0.1524 * .0127) = 29.69 N

Momentum Theorem Method for Closed

F. Results and Discussion

Head Change Plots

Method 1: Head Change (Sluice Gate Closed)

0.3
Measured Head (m)

0.25
0.2
0.15

Elevation Head

0.1

Piezometric Head

0.05

Pressure Head

0
-0.05
-0.1

10

Manometer Number

15

Method 2: Head Change (Sluice Gate Open 0.5")

0.25

Measured Head (m)

0.2
0.15
0.1

Elevation Head
Piezometric Head

0.05

Pressure Head

0
-0.05

-0.1

10

15

Manometer Number

Method 3: Head Change (Sluice Gate Open 0.75")

0.25

Measured Head (m)

0.2
0.15
0.1

Elevation Head

0.05

Piezometric Head

0
-0.05

10

15

Pressure Head

-0.1
-0.15

Manometer Number

Based on the graphical results, a similar relationship exists for each measured head. The pressure
head decreases as the monometer number increases. This makes sense due to the fact that the first
monometer is at the deepest level. Theoretically, pressure would be greatest at the bottom due to
the weight of the water exerting force. In addition, as the monometer number increases, so does the
elevation head. The piezometric head showed minimal change, however it did arrive at a plateau at a
certain point as the monometer increases.

According to the results, as the opening of the sluice gate increases, the flow rate increases as well.
The results are valid due to the fact that flow rate is dependent on the change of height of the gate.
Also, an increase in height allows for a greater area on which the flow is passing through. Therefore,
one could say that flow rate Q, is in direct relationship with the height of the sluice gate opening, h.
Summary of Results Table

Experiment No.
1
2
3
Total
Mean

Data Result Table 4 (Forces N)

Method
Actual
Hydrostatic Pressure
Pressure
Force (N)
Force (N)
30.87
29.69
27.13
21.78
26.91
18.76
84.91
70.23
28.30
23.41

Momentum
Equation
Force (N)
30.862
24.95
22.44
78.25
26.08

Percentage Difference
Data Result Table (Percent Difference)
1: Percent Difference of Hydrostatic
Force and Actual Pressure Force

18.90%

2: Percent Difference of Momentum Equation

Force and Actual Pressure Force

10.79%

3: Percent Difference of Hydrostatic Force

Force and Momentum Force

8.16%

Out of all three methods, the lab states that the Hydrostatic Method is the most conservative. The
results indicate this is true with the hydrostatic method having the highest mean force at 28.3 N.
In this method, a triangular pressure distribution is assumed, but this is only accurate for the
closed method. According to the results for the closed gate, the resulting forces for all three
methods have a small percentage error: 3% between Hydrostatic and Actual Pressure method,
and less than 1% between Hydrostatic and Momentum. These 3 results for experiment 1 all had
close values. With the gate open, the percentage difference value increases. A reason for this
error is because the hydrostatic method is not an accurate method for estimating the force on an
open gate. The triangular pressure distribution cannot be assumed when the gate is open. The
actual pressure method and momentum equations are a better choice. Some other error can
occur, during the experiment an 8-inch elevation is to be maintained and monometer readings

can be inaccurate as well. It can be difficult to keep the downstream and upstream levels as
steady as possible like stated in the procedures.

G. Conclusions
Overall this lab serves its purpose in calculating forces on a sluice gate by using 3 different
methods; hydrostatic, actual and momentum equations. The forces are determined with a closed
gate, and open at both .5 and .75 inches. Each method explores a different theory and is useful in
accurately calculating forces. A graphical display of the results helps derive relationships
between the measured heads and the monometers. These factors are very important in
designing sluice gates in the real world such as open channels, water treatment plants and dams.