Weekly Topics and Readings

Week 1: Lab Procedures & Safety

  1. Read: Fluid Mechanics Laboratory:
    • Guidelines and Fluid Laboratory – Sample Density Lab
  2. Watch: Oregon Occupational Safety & Health (Oregon OSHA). October 6, 2017. Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) Playlist items listed below. Each video is <2 min.
  3. Additional Resource(s): NYCCT Laboratory Safety Training

Week 2: Density (Lab 1)

  1. Read: Lab Manual H314 (pages 11-12)
  2. Watch for Method A (Beaker):
  3. Watch for Method B (Eureka Can, also known as an overflow can):
  4. Watch for Method C (Density Bottle):

Note: The Method B (Eureka Can) demonstrations are for finding the density of an irregular object. The class lab is focused on the density of the fluid, therefore obtaining different information than the videos and the lab manual formulas should be followed.

Week 3: Tutorial 2

Practice problems will be available on blackboard or distributed during class.

Week 4: Specific Gravity & Viscosity (Lab 2)

  1. Read: Lab Manual H314 (pages 13 and 16)
  2. Watch for the Specific Gravity portion:
    • Camlab Ltd. August 2, 2016. “How to use a Hydrometer” (~1:30 min.)
    • Lab 1 Method A (Beaker) can be revisited for a refresher on calculating the density of a fluid: Hildebrand, Robert. October 6, 2014. “Density of Liquids Video” (~2:30 min.)
  3. Watch for the Viscosity portion:
    • Physic Demos. August 20, 2016. “Viscosity Demo: Water and Oil” (~1 min.)
    • Amritacreate. February 7, 2017. “Viscosity – MeitY OLabs” Watch ONLY up to 2:28, to see how terminal velocity is calculated. The class lab is obtaining different information than the video, so use the lab manual formulas and NOT the formulas presented in the video.

Week 5: Pressure Measurement (Lab 3)

  1. Read: Lab Manual H314 (pages 33-35)
  2. Watch:
  3. Additional Resource(s): To learn more about other types of gauges, watch:

Week 6: Pascal & Archimedes Laws (Lab 4)

  1. Read: Lab Manual H314 (page 21)
  2. Watch:

Week 7: Center of Pressure (Lab 5)

  1. Read: Lab Manual: H314 (pages 30-31) Note: The lab will completed for a fully submerged plane and analyzed using the calculations noted on the data sheet (NOT the integral approach noted in the lab manual) .
  2. Watch:

Week 8: Stability (Lab 6)

  1. Read: Lab Manual H314 (pages 22 – 26)
  2. Watch:
    • vulcanhammerinfo. May 14, 2020. “Fluid Mechanics Laboratory Video: Buoyancy and Stability“. Watch approximately 10:35 to 11:40 for the discussion about how to find the center of gravity. (~1 min.) The rest of the video also contains discussion about the lab concepts so you may want to watch other portions aw well. (Overall video ~30 min.)
  3. Additional Resource(s): Some additional concepts to think about

Week 9: Flow through an Orifice (Lab 7)

  1. Read: Lab Manual H4 (pages 1-6 and 13-24)
  2. Watch:

Week 10: Tutorial 4

Practice problems will be available on blackboard or distributed during class.

Week 11: Impact of a Jet (Lab 8)

  1. Read: Lab Manual: H8 (entire manual)
  2. Watch:

Week 12: Flow Measurement-Weirs (Lab 9)

  1. Read: Lab Manual H1Da/b (pages 1-6 and 13-17)
  2. Watch:
  3. Additional Resource(s):

Week 13: Tutorial 5

Practice problems will be available on blackboard or distributed during class.

Week 14: HECRAS (Lab 10)

Please follow these steps for the final lab:

  1. Download: the FREE software can be downloaded from the United States Army Corps of Engineers (https://www.hec.usace.army.mil/software/hec-ras/download.aspx).
    • From the left hand menu, click on the “Download”.  
    • Download the latest version of the program available.
  2. Complete: The Introduction to HEC-RAS Directions (distributed by the Professor).
  3. Submit: the required information for the laboratory report.  Make sure to name the project file “YourLastName_YourFirstName.”  This will serve as proof that you completed the exercise yourself.
  4. Additional Resource(s):
    • Albrook Hydraulics Laboratory. November 17, 2016. “HEC-RAS Tutorials” There are 7 videos that walk through download and installation (~4 min.), an overview (~7:30 min.), and 5 other videos that walk through a problem (~20 – 30 min.)
    • Reference Book: Floodplain Modeling Using HEC-RAS (ISBN-10: 1934493023) but it is strongly encouraged that you check out all of the free resources available online.

Want to explore HEC-RAS more? There are additional resources available from the US Army Corp of Engineers. If you download the “with examples version” of HEC-RAS, there are problems available in the “Application Guide” than you can work through using the data available with the download. Also, check out the “User Manual” for additional support and guidance.

Additionally, there are some training courses available on the Army Corps website. Click “Training Materials” and you will be able to see the courses and material that you can follow along with at your own pace. For example, #352 – Advanced 1D 2D Unsteady Flow Modeling (July 2019) has a mix of slides and examples. When you get to 1.6, you will be able to download the material and try on your own. There are also “Webinars and Tutorials” for free videos, which have data files available also.

Week 15: Review (if needed) and Submission Deadline

The last session will be planned based on the class needs.

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