Experimental study on rheological characteristics of granular pseudo-fluid

The rheological characteristics of granular pseudo-fluid are studied using conventional method from continuous-flow theory. Quartz sand particle systems in different sizes, spherical glass particles and alumina particles are focused in this work for their low-velocity shearing movements in a small gap between two concentric rotating cylinders. The accurate rheological equations of those granular systems were obtained and it was found that the shear stress all decreases with the increasing shear rate, it is a totally different trend comparing with normal fluid. Detailed analyzing was carried out on the effects of particle size, shape and surface property on this very special rheological phenomenon. It can be concluded that those physical characteristics of particle and the bearing capacity of tangential force on the particle contact surface are key factors to the distribution and strength of the force chains in the granular systems, and the appearance of force chains is the fundamental reason to the specificity of those granular pseudo-fluid.