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hydraulics / hydrostatics

Hydrostatic wall pressure calculator.

Estimate the triangular water-pressure distribution, resultant thrust, centre of pressure, and moment for a still fluid acting on a vertical wall or tank face.

read the result

A still fluid gets heavier with depth.

For a vertical plane with a level free surface, hydrostatic pressure varies linearly from zero at the surface to p = γH at the base. The pressure diagram is triangular, so its resultant acts at one-third of the water depth above the base.

Governing equations

pbase = γH; P/B = γH²/2; ycp = H/3; and M = P ycp. The calculator reports the force per metre of wall and scales it by the entered wall length.

This static water-pressure screen assumes uniform fluid density; verify drainage, differential levels, and transient actions separately.

Keep the pressure case visible.

  • Waves, flow velocity, impact, rapid drawdown, uplift, seepage, pore pressure, and groundwater gradients are not checked.
  • Wall flexibility, tank restraint, cracks, joints, openings, buoyancy, and foundation stability are not included.
  • Use differential water levels when both sides are wetted; do not treat this single-sided screen as a complete hydraulic-structure design.