A layer of yield-stress material on a flat plate that moves suddenly

Abstract

The flow of an unbounded Newtonian fluid above a flat solid plate, set into motion suddenly with uniform velocity, is a canonical problem investigated by Stokes (On the effect of the internal friction of fluids on the motion of pendulums, Trans. Camb. Phil. Soc., vol. 9, 1851) and Rayleigh (Lond. Edinb. Dubl. Philos. Mag. J. Sci., vol. 21, issue 126, 1911, pp. 697–711). We tackle the same problem but with the fluid replaced by a yield-stress material of finite height with a free surface; the latter ensures both yielded (fluid-like) and rigid behaviour. The interface between the yielded and rigid regions – the so-called ‘yield surface’ – always emerges from the plate at a rate faster than that for momentum diffusion. The rigid region, adjacent to the free surface, is accelerated by the constant yield stress acting at this yield surface. As the velocity of this region increases following start-up, its acceleration climaxes and subsequently diminishes. In this latter period, the thickness of the rigid region increases owing to relaxation of the velocity gradients and the stress. The yield surface eventually collides with the plate in finite time, after which the entire material moves in concert with the plate as a rigid body. Analytical and numerical results are presented that can form the basis for practical applications. This includes the development of a ‘rheological microscope’ to directly detect and measure the yield stress. The analysis focuses on exploring the flow physics of a Bingham material. This is shown to be similar to that of a general Herschel–Bulkley material with shear-thinning or shear-thickening rheology.