Dr.
Qais Bu-Ali
Fluid Mechanics
CHENG 214
CHAPTER 7
DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS AND
MODELING
1 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
CHAPTER 7
DIMENSIONAL
ANALYSIS AND
MODELING
2 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
Main Topics
7–1 DIMENSIONS AND UNITS
7–2 DIMENSIONAL HOMOGENEITY
7–3 DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS AND SIMILARITY
3 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
7–3 DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS AND SIMILARITY
What is a “model” in engineering
context?
A physical representation of an object
4 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
5 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
7–3 DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS AND SIMILARITY
What is a prototype?
A prototype is an early sample or model built
to test a concept or process or to act as a
thing to be replicated or learned from.
6 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
7–3 DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS AND SIMILARITY
Why do we use models and
prototypes in engineering?
• In many cases in real-life engineering, equations
are either not known or too difficult to solve;
oftentimes experimentation is the only method of
obtaining reliable information.
• In most experiments, to save time and money, tests
are performed on a geometrically scaled model,
rather than on the full-scale prototype.
7 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
7–3 DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS AND SIMILARITY
What are the conditions for a
model and a prototype to be
similar?
8 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
7–3 DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS AND SIMILARITY
1- The first condition is geometric similarity, the
model must be the same shape as the prototype, but
may be scaled by some constant scale factor.
9 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
7–3 DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS AND SIMILARITY
2- The second condition is
kinematic similarity,
which means that the
velocity at any point in the
model flow must be
proportional (by a constant
scale factor) to the velocity
at the corresponding point
in the prototype flow.
10 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
7–3 DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS AND SIMILARITY
3- The third and most restrictive
similarity condition is that of
dynamic similarity. Dynamic
similarity is achieved when all
forces in the model flow scale by
a constant factor to
corresponding forces in the
prototype flow (force-scale
equivalence).
11 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
7–3 DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS AND SIMILARITY
When a complete similarity is
achieved between a model and a
prototype?
12 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
7–3 DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS AND SIMILARITY
How can we learn from a model in
design of a prototype?
13 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
7–3 DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS AND SIMILARITY
What are the three non-
dimensional parameters for flow
inside a pipe?
14 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
7–3 DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS AND SIMILARITY
• We let uppercase Greek letter Pi ( ) denote a
nondimensional parameter.
• In a general dimensional analysis problem, there
is one that we call the dependent , giving it the
notation 1.
• The parameter 1 is in general a function of
several other ’s, which we call independent ’s.
15 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
16 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
17 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
18 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
7–3 DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS AND SIMILARITY
• Consider an experiment in which a scale model
is tested to simulate a prototype flow.
• Consider, the design of a
new sports car, the
aerodynamics of which is to
be tested in a wind tunnel.
19 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
7–3 DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS AND SIMILARITY
• To ensure complete similarity
between the model and the
prototype, each independent of
the model (subscript m) must be
identical to the corresponding
independent of the prototype
(subscript p).
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
7–3 DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS AND SIMILARITY
• In the case of aerodynamic drag on an automobile,
it turns out that if the flow is approximated as
incompressible, there are only two ’s in the problem:
• The Reynolds number is the
most well known and useful
dimensionless parameter in all
of fluid mechanics.
21 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
7–3 DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS AND SIMILARITY
22 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
7–3 DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS AND SIMILARITY
23 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
7–3 DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS AND SIMILARITY
24 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
7–3 DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS AND SIMILARITY
25 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
7–3 DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS AND SIMILARITY
26 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
7–3 DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS AND SIMILARITY
• Suppose that water
was used in the tunnel
instead of wind, at 20 ˚C.
What will be the speed of
the model?
27 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
7–3 DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS AND SIMILARITY
28 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
29 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
30 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
7–4 THE METHOD OF REPEATING VARIABLES
AND THE BUCKINGHAM PI THEOREM
• We have seen several examples of the usefulness
and power of dimensional analysis.
• Now we are ready to learn how to generate the
nondimensional parameters, i.e., the ’s.
• The most popular (and simplest) method is the
method of repeating variables, popularized by Edgar
Buckingham (1867–1940).
31 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
7–4 THE METHOD OF REPEATING VARIABLES
AND THE BUCKINGHAM PI THEOREM
32 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
7–4 THE METHOD OF REPEATING VARIABLES
AND THE BUCKINGHAM PI THEOREM
• Suppose that the
instantaneous
elevation z of the ball
must be a function of
…………………………
…………………………
…………………………
…………………………
…………………....
33 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
7–4 THE METHOD OF REPEATING VARIABLES
AND THE BUCKINGHAM PI THEOREM
• Suppose that the
instantaneous
elevation z of the ball
must be a function of
time t, initial vertical
speed w0, initial
elevation z0, and
gravitational constant
g.
34 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
7–4 THE METHOD OF REPEATING VARIABLES
AND THE BUCKINGHAM PI THEOREM
Step 1
• There are five parameters in this problem; n=5.
35 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
7–4 THE METHOD OF REPEATING VARIABLES
AND THE BUCKINGHAM PI THEOREM
2. List the primary dimensions of
each parameter
36 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
7–4 THE METHOD OF REPEATING VARIABLES
AND THE BUCKINGHAM PI THEOREM
Step 2
• The primary dimensions of each parameter are
listed here. It is recommend to write each dimension
with exponents since this helps with later algebra:
37 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
7–4 THE METHOD OF REPEATING VARIABLES
AND THE BUCKINGHAM PI THEOREM
3. What is the number of primary
dimensions (j)?
4. What is the expected number of
dimensionless parameters (k)?
38 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
7–4 THE METHOD OF REPEATING VARIABLES
AND THE BUCKINGHAM PI THEOREM
Step 3
• Set j equal to 2, the number of primary dimensions
represented in the problem (L and t).
• The number of ’s predicted by the Buckingham Pi
theorem is:
39 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
7–4 THE METHOD OF REPEATING VARIABLES
AND THE BUCKINGHAM PI THEOREM
5. Choose (j) repeating parameters
6. How to choose the repeating
parameters?
40 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
7–4 THE METHOD OF REPEATING VARIABLES
AND THE BUCKINGHAM PI THEOREM
Step 4
• We need to choose two repeating parameters since
j=2.
• The wisest choice of two repeating parameters is w0
and z0.
41 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
7–4 THE METHOD OF REPEATING VARIABLES
AND THE BUCKINGHAM PI THEOREM
6. How to choose the repeating
parameters?
42 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
7–4 THE METHOD OF REPEATING VARIABLES
AND THE BUCKINGHAM PI THEOREM
Step 4 (How to choose the repeating
parameters?):
1. Never pick the dependent variable.
2. The chosen repeating parameters must represent
all the primary dimensions in the problem
3. Never pick two parameters with the same
dimensions or with dimensions that differ by only an
exponent.
43 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
7–4 THE METHOD OF REPEATING VARIABLES
AND THE BUCKINGHAM PI THEOREM
Step 4
4. Pick simple parameters over complex parameters
whenever possible.
44 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
7–4 THE METHOD OF REPEATING VARIABLES
AND THE BUCKINGHAM PI THEOREM
7. Let us construct the (k)
dimensionless groups
45 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
7–4 THE METHOD OF REPEATING VARIABLES
AND THE BUCKINGHAM PI THEOREM
Step 5
• Combine these repeating parameters into products
with each of the remaining parameters, one at a time,
to create the ’s.
• The first is always the dependent and is formed
with the dependent variable z:
where a1 and b1 are constant exponents that need to
be determined.
46 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
7–4 THE METHOD OF REPEATING VARIABLES
AND THE BUCKINGHAM PI THEOREM
Step 5
• Apply the primary dimensions of step 2 into
and force the to be dimensionless by setting the
exponent of each primary dimension to zero:
• Equate the exponents of each primary dimension
independently to solve for exponents a1 and b1:
47 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
7–4 THE METHOD OF REPEATING VARIABLES
AND THE BUCKINGHAM PI THEOREM
48 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
7–4 THE METHOD OF REPEATING VARIABLES
AND THE BUCKINGHAM PI THEOREM
49 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
7–4 THE METHOD OF REPEATING VARIABLES
AND THE BUCKINGHAM PI THEOREM
Step 5
50 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
7–4 THE METHOD OF REPEATING VARIABLES
AND THE BUCKINGHAM PI THEOREM
Step 5
• In similar fashion we create the first independent
(2) by combining the repeating parameters with
independent variable t:
51 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
7–4 THE METHOD OF REPEATING VARIABLES
AND THE BUCKINGHAM PI THEOREM
Step 5
52 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
7–4 THE METHOD OF REPEATING VARIABLES
AND THE BUCKINGHAM PI THEOREM
Step 5
• Finally we create the second independent (3) by
combining the repeating parameters with g and forcing
the to be dimensionless:
53 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
7–4 THE METHOD OF REPEATING VARIABLES
AND THE BUCKINGHAM PI THEOREM
Step 5
54 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
7–4 THE METHOD OF REPEATING VARIABLES
AND THE BUCKINGHAM PI THEOREM
Step 6
• Double-check that the ’s are indeed dimensionless
• Finally, write the functional relationship between the
nondimensional parameters:
55 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
7–4 THE METHOD OF REPEATING VARIABLES
AND THE BUCKINGHAM PI THEOREM
56 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
57 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
58 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
59 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
60 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
61 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
62 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
63 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
64 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
65 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Qais Bu-Ali
66 College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
