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Force and position on inclined door

Short answer

The hydrostatic force on the circular door is5849 kN (5.85×10³ kN). Its centre of pressure lies5.8 mm below the centroid along the slope, nearly coincident due to the large air pressure.

Determine the force and its position from fluids acting on the door as shown in figure. [Figure: closed tank with air gauge pressure 800 kPa above water 1.5 m deep, connected to an inclined door inclined at 60° with the horizontal; door length 3 m; door full-size view is a circle of radius R = 3 m]

The figure is only partly legible. Assumed reading: a circular door of diameter 3 m (radius R=1.5R=1.5 m, length 3 m along the slope), inclined at θ=60∘\theta=60^\circ to the horizontal, with its upper edge 1.5 m below the water surface. The air above the water has gauge pressure p0=800p_0=800 kPa. g=9.81g=9.81.

   air 800 kPa
  ---------------- water surface
   1.5 m
    \
     \  door 3 m along slope
      \   60 deg

Depth of centroid:

hˉ=1.5+Rsin⁡60∘=1.5+1.5(0.866)=2.799 m\bar h=1.5+R\sin60^\circ=1.5+1.5(0.866)=2.799\ \text{m}

Pressure at the centroid:

pc=p0+γhˉ=800+9.81(2.799)=827.46 kPap_c=p_0+\gamma\bar h=800+9.81(2.799)=827.46\ \text{kPa}

Area: A=πR2=π(1.5)2=7.069 m2A=\pi R^{2}=\pi(1.5)^{2}=7.069\ \text{m}^2.

Force:

F=pcA=827.46×7.069=5849 kNF=p_cA=827.46\times7.069=5849\ \text{kN}

Position. The air pressure is equivalent to an extra head p0/γ=81.55p_0/\gamma=81.55 m of water above the surface. Distance of the centroid from this imaginary free surface along the slope:

yˉ=81.55+2.799sin⁡60∘=97.40 m\bar y=\frac{81.55+2.799}{\sin60^\circ}=97.40\ \text{m} yˉcp−yˉ=IGAyˉ=πR4/4πR2 yˉ=R24yˉ=2.254(97.40)=0.0058 m\bar y_{cp}-\bar y=\frac{I_G}{A\bar y}=\frac{\pi R^{4}/4}{\pi R^{2}\,\bar y}=\frac{R^{2}}{4\bar y}=\frac{2.25}{4(97.40)}=0.0058\ \text{m}

Answer: F≈5.85×103F\approx5.85\times10^{3} kN (5849 kN), acting normal to the door at about 5.8 mm below the centre of the door, measured along the slope. The large air pressure makes the centre of pressure almost coincide with the centroid.

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