Some applications of the AMPC model of the shear yield stress of particulate fluids

Abstract

The AMPC structural model of shear yield stress of single component suspensions is extended to three important rheological phenomena encountered in particulate fluids. These are shear yield stress of multi-component systems, time dependent shear yield stress of thixotropic suspensions, and compressive yield stress of particulate fluids. The shear yield stress of multi-component suspensions is modeled by summing the interparticle interactions due to all possible combinations of particle sizes and solid constituents. The time dependent shear yield stress of thixotropic muds is simulated by invoking the proportionality between yield stress and interparticle bond density across the shear plane. The compressive yield stress of particulate fluids is calculated by assuming that consolidation occurs by shear but at a narrower gap between the particles. The ability of the model to describe these diverse phenomena reasonably well seemingly validates its basic premise, namely, a 3-dimensional space-filling network of particles whose mechanical properties can be estimated from the theory of strength of particulate assemblage.