Fluid Mechanics Static Forces on Surfaces-Buoyancy

Equilibrium of Floating Bodies:

To be the floating body in equilibrium, two conditions must be satisfied:
 The buoyant Force (Fb) must equal the weight of the floating body (W).
 Fb and W must act in the same straight line.
So, for equilibrium:
F =W
The equilibrium of a body may be:
 Stable.
 Unstable.
 Neutral (could be considered stable)

Stability of a Submerge Bodies

Stable equilibrium: if when displaced, it returns to its original equilibrium
position.
Unstable equilibrium: if when displaced, it returns to a new equilibrium
position

Notes:
 In this case (body is fully immersed in water) when the body is tilted, the
shape of the displaced fluid doesn’t change, so the center of buoyancy
remains unchanged relative to the body.
 The weight of the body is located at the center of gravity of the body (G)
and the buoyant force located at the center of buoyancy (B).
Stable Equilibrium:
A small angular displacement υ from
the equilibrium position will generate a
moment equals: (W x BG x υ).
The immersed body is considered
Stable if G is below B, this will
generate righting moment and the
body will tend to return to its original
equilibrium position.

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Fluid Mechanics Static Forces on Surfaces-Buoyancy

Unstable Equilibrium:
The immersed body is considered
Unstable if G is above B, this will
generate an overturning moment and
the body will tend to be in new
equilibrium position.

Stability of Floating Bodies

Here, the volume of the liquid remains unchanged since Fb=W, but the
shape of this volume changes and thereby its center of buoyancy will
differ.
When the body is displaced through an angle υ the center of buoyancy move
from B to B1 and a turning moment is produced.
Metacenter (M):
The point at which the line of action of the buoyant force (Fb) cuts the
original vertical line through G.
So, Moment Generated is (W x GM x ).
GM is known as a metacentric height.

Stability:
Stable
If M lies above G, a righting moment is produced, equilibrium is stable and
GM is regarded as positive. (GM=+VE)

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Fluid Mechanics Static Forces on Surfaces-Buoyancy

Unstable
If M lies below G, an overturning moment is produced, equilibrium is
unstable and GM is regarded as negative. (GM= ‫ـــ‬VE).

Neutral:
If M coincides with G, the body is in neutral equilibrium.

Determination of the Position of Metacenter Relative to Centre of

Buoyancy:
I
BM =
V

I = the smallest moment of inertia of the waterline plane

Procedures for Evaluating the Stability of Floating

Bodies

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Fluid Mechanics Static Forces on Surfaces-Buoyancy

1. Determine the position of the floating body (Draft) using the principles of
buoyancy (Total Weights = Buoyant Force).
2. Locate the center of buoyance B and compute the distance from some
datum to point B (yB). The bottom of the object is usually taken as a datum.
3. Locate the center of gravity G and compute (yG) measured from the same
datum.
4. Determine the shape of the area at the fluid surface (plane view) and
compute I for that shape.
5. Compute the displace volume (Vd)
6. Compute BM distance (BM = I / Vd).
7. Compute (yM = yB+BM)
8. If (yM > yG) >> the body is stable.(GM = +VE)
9. If (yM < yG) >> the body is unstable.(GM = ‫ـــ‬VE)

Important Note:
If yM = yG (GM = 0), this case is called neutral and the object could be
considered stable.

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Fluid Mechanics Static Forces on Surfaces-Buoyancy

Problems
1.
For the shown figure below, a cube of wood of side length (L) is float in
water. If the specific gravity of the wood is 0.88. Determine if this cube is
stable or not.
Solution

Assume the datum is at the

bottom of the cube.
Firstly we calculate the draft
(h=D) in terms of L from
principles of buoyancy:
F = Total weight
F = γ × V = 9810DL

Total weight = ρ ( ) ×g×V

Total weight = 0.88 × 1000 × 9.81 × L = 8632.8 L
8632.8 L
→ 9810DL = 8632.8 L → D = h = = 0.88L
9810L
→ V = DL = 0.88L
D 0.88L
→y = = = 0.44L (from datum)
2 2
L
y = = 0.5L
2
Calculation of BM:
I
BM =
V
L×L L
I= =
12 12
L
→ BM = = 0.0947L
12 × 0.88L
→ y = y + BM
→ y = 0.44L + 0.0947L = 0.534L

GM = y − y = 0.534L − 0.5L = 0.034 L (+VE) → ✓.

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Fluid Mechanics Static Forces on Surfaces-Buoyancy

2.
A barge is 4.5m wide and 12m long and floats with a draft of 1.2m. It is
piled so high with gravel so that its center of gravity became
1m above the waterline. Is it stable?

Solution
Firstly, we draw a neat sketch for this problem:

Assume the datum is at the bottom

of the barge.
1.2
y = = 0.6m
2
y = 2.2m

Calculation of BM:
I
BM =
V
12 × 4.5
I= = 91.125m , V = 4.5 × 12 × 1.2 = 64.8m
12
91.15
→ BM = = 1.4m → y = 0.6 + 1.4 = 2m
64.8
GM = y − y = 2 − 2.2 = −0.2 (−VE) → ✓.

3.
The figure below shows a cross section of boat. Show if the boat is stable or
not. If the boat is stable compute the righting moment if the angle of heel is
10o. The boat is float in water and its 6m long.

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Fluid Mechanics Static Forces on Surfaces-Buoyancy

Solution
Assume the datum is at the bottom of the boat.
1.5
y = = 0.75m
2
1.5 + 0.3
y = = 0.9m
2
Calculation of BM:
I
BM =
V
6×3
I= = 13.5 , V = 3 × 6 × 1.5 = 27m
12
13.5
BM = = 0.5m → y = 0.75 + 0.5 = 1.25m
27
GM = y − y = 1.25 − 0.9 = 0.35 (+VE) → ✓.

Important Note:
If the boat is orientated with any angle, the value of GM remains unchanged.
Now when the boat is orientated with an angle of 10o the cross section will
be as following:

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Fluid Mechanics Static Forces on Surfaces-Buoyancy

The righting Moment (M)= W × X

W=F =γ ×V = 9810 × 27 = 264870N

X = GM × sin(10) = 0.35 × sin(10) = 0.0607 m

→ M = 264870 × 0.0607 = 16077.6 N. m = 16.07KN. m✓.

4.
A wooden cone floats in water in the position shown in figure below. The
specific gravity of the wood is 0.6. Would the cone be stable?

Solution
Assume the datum is at the tip of the
cone.
The center of gravity of the cone is
located at from the tip of the cone
Firstly we calculate the draft from
principles of buoyancy:
F = Total weight
F = γ × V = 9810V
Total weight = ρ ×g×V

0.18
πr h π × 2
× 0.25
V = =
3 3
= 0.00212m

→ Total weight = 0.6 × 1000 × 9.81 × 0.00212 = 12.48 N.

→ 9810V = 12.48 → V = 0.001272m →→ (1)

Let the diameter at the level of water is X→

.
By interpolation→ = → D = 1.388X
.
X
π× × 1.388X
V = 2 = 0.363X → substitute from (1)
3

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Fluid Mechanics Static Forces on Surfaces-Buoyancy

0. 363X = 0.001272 → X = 0.152m → D = 1.388 × 0.152 = 0.21m

3 × 0.21
y = = 0.1575m (from tip of cone)
4
3 × 0.25
y = = 0.1875m (from tip of cone)
4
Calculation of BM:
I
BM =
V
I = Moment of inertia at the plane at the water line
The plane (top view) of the cone at the water line is a circle of diameter X
π π
I= D = × 0.152 = 2.62 × 10 m
64 64
V = 0.001272m
2.62 × 10
→ BM = = 0.02m → y = 0.1575 + 0.02 = 0.1775m
0.001272
GM = y − y = 0.1775 − 0.1875 = −0.01 (−VE) → ✓.

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