Microstructural smoothed particle hydrodynamics model and simulations of discontinuous shear-thickening fluids

Abstract

Despite the recent interest in the discontinuous shear-thickening (DST) behavior, few computational works tackle the rich hydrodynamics of these fluids. In this work, we present the first implementation of a microstructural DST model in smoothed particle hydrodynamic (SPH) simulation. The scalar model was implemented in an SPH scheme and tested in two flow geometries. Three distinct ratios of local to non-local microstructural effects were probed: zero, moderate, and strong non-locality. Strong and moderate cases yielded excellent agreement with flow curves constructed via the Wyart–Cates (WC) model, with the moderate case exhibiting banding patterns. We demonstrate that a local model is prone to a stress-splitting instability, resulting in discontinuous stress fields and poor agreement with the WC model. The mechanism of stress splitting has been explored and contextualized by the interaction of local microstructure evolution and the stress-control scheme. Analytic solutions for a body-force-driven DST channel flow have been derived and used to validate the SPH simulations with excellent agreement in velocity profiles. Simulations carried out at increasing driving forces exhibited a decrease in flow. We showed that even the simple scalar model can capture some of the key properties of DST materials, laying the foundation for further SPH study of instabilities and pattern formation.