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Unit of study_
CIVL3612: Fluid Mechanics
2025 unit information
This unit of study aims to provide an understanding of the conservation of mass and momentum in differential forms for viscous fluid flows. It provides the foundation for advanced study of turbulence, flow around immersed bodies, open channel flow, pipe flow and pump design.
Unit details and rules
Managing faculty or University school:
Engineering
| Study level | Undergraduate |
|---|---|
| Academic unit | Civil Engineering |
| Credit points | 6 |
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Prerequisites:
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CIVL2611 |
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Corequisites:
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None |
| Prohibitions:
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None |
| Assumed knowledge:
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Intermediate coding skills with PYTHON acquired through ENGG1810 (or INFO1110 or INFO1910) |
At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:
- LO1. TOPIC 01 : ACCELERATION - Apply the concept of acceleration in a Lagrangian frame of reference in different flow configurations - Identify various flow characteristics based on the velocity field - Determine the streamline pattern and acceleration field given a velocity field - Determine various kinematic elements of the flow given the velocity field
- LO2. TOPIC 02 : CONSERVATION OF MASS AND MOMENTUM - Select an appropriate differential control volume to solve a fluid mechanics problem - Apply conservation of mass and energy and Newton’s second law of motion to the contents of a finite control volume - Know how velocity changes and energy transfers in fluid flows are related to forces and torques
- LO3. TOPIC 03 : POTENTIAL FLOW - Apply the concepts of stream function and velocity potential - Analyse ideal flows using the potential flow theory - Characterize simple flow fields using super-position of potential flow fields
- LO4. TOPIC 04 : NAVIER-STOKES EQUATIONS - Analyse viscous flows using the Navier-Stokes equations - Understand the influence of viscosity and no-slip condition - Know different boundary conditions for the Navier-Stokes equations in different flow configurations.
- LO5. TOPIC 05 : DIMENSIONLESS ANALYSIS - Identify non-dimensional parameters relevant to fluid mechanics applications in civil engineering - Perform calculations with non-dimensional groups for data analysis - Apply modelling and similitude to obtain relevant parameters for model/prototype
- LO6. TOPIC 06 : VISCOUS FLOW IN PIPES - Identify various characteristics of flow in pipes - Understand the main characteristics of laminar and turbulent flow in pipes - Calculate major losses in pipes - Calculate minor losses in pipe components - Apply appropriate equations and principles to analyse a variety of pipe flow situations
- LO7. TOPIC 07 : EXTERNAL FLOWS - Identify and discuss the features of external flow - Explain the fundamental characteristics of a boundary layer, including laminar, transitional, and turbulent regimes - Calculate forces due to lift and drag for flow past an object - Provide a description of boundary layer separation - Identify non-dimensional parameters relevant to wind engineering
- LO8. TOPIC 08 : OPEN CHANNEL FLOWS - Discuss the general characteristics of open-channel flow - Use a specific energy diagram - Apply appropriate equations to analyze open-channel flow with uniform depth - Apply appropriate equations to analyze open-channel flow with gradually varying depth - Calculate key properties of a hydraulic jump - Determine flowrates based on open-channel flow-measuring devices
- LO9. TOPIC 09 : PUMPS - Explain how and why a turbomachine works - Know the basic differences between a turbine and a pump - Recognize the importance of minimizing loss in a turbomachine and pipe system - Select an appropriate class of turbomachines for a particular application - Apply the basic fundamentals of scaling turbomachines that are larger or smaller than a prototype
- LO10. LABORATORY - Write a laboratory report in technical English - Understand basic experimental techniques - Analyse experimental data and draw conclusions - Compare experimental results with theory and identify reasons for discrepancies - Perform error analysis
Unit availability
This section lists the session, attendance modes and locations the unit is available in. There is a unit outline for each of the unit availabilities, which gives you information about the unit including assessment details and a schedule of weekly activities.
The outline is published 2 weeks before the first day of teaching. You can look at previous outlines for a guide to the details of a unit.
| Session | MoA ? | Location | Outline ? |
|---|---|---|---|
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Semester 1 2025
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Normal day | Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney |
Outline unavailable
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Modes of attendance (MoA)
This refers to the Mode of attendance (MoA) for the unit as it appears when you’re selecting your units in Sydney Student. Find more information about modes of attendance on our website.
