Why are we studying fluid mechanics on a Civil Engineering course? The provision of adequate water services such as the supply of potable water, drainage, sewerage are essential for the development of industrial society. It is these services which civil engineers provide.
Fluid mechanics is involved in nearly all areas of Civil Engineering either directly or indirectly. Some examples of direct involvement are those where we are concerned with manipulating the fluid:
- Sea and river (flood) defences;
- Water distribution / sewerage (sanitation) networks;
- Hydraulic design of water/sewage treatment works;
- Pumps and Turbines;
- Water retaining structures.
And some examples where the primary object is construction - yet analysis of the fluid mechanics is essential:
- Flow of air in / around buildings;
- Bridge piers in rivers;
- Ground-water flow.
Notice how nearly all of these involve water. The following course, although introducing general fluid flow ideas and principles, will demonstrate many of these principles through examples where the fluid is water.
The module will be split into 4 units
Unit 1: Fluid Mechanics Basics 3 lectures
- Properties of Fluids
- Fluids vs. Solids
Unit 2: Statics 3 lectures
- Hydrostatic pressure
- Manometry/Pressure measurement
- Hydrostatic forces on submerged surfaces
Unit 3: Dynamics 7 lectures
- The continuity equation.
- The Bernoulli Equation.
- Application of Bernoulli equation.
- The momentum equation.
- Application of momentum equation.
Unit 4: Effect of the boundary on flow 4 lectures
- Laminar and turbulent flow
- Boundary layer theory
- An Intro to Dimensional analysis