Dynamics of flexible fibers in shear flow

TL;DR

This study numerically investigates the complex dynamics of flexible fibers in shear flow, revealing a rich spectrum of behaviors including bifurcations, chaos, and transitions between coiled and straight configurations.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive analysis of fiber dynamics across a wide range of bending-to-drag force ratios, highlighting new modes and transitions in the behavior of flexible fibers.

Findings

Rich spectrum of fiber motion modes observed

Sharp transitions between coiled and straight configurations

Presence of bifurcations and chaotic dynamics

Abstract

Dynamics of flexible non-Brownian fibers in shear flow at low-Reynolds-number are analyzed numerically for a wide range of the ratios A of the fiber bending force to the viscous drag force. Initially, the fibers are aligned with the flow, and later they move in the plane perpendicular to the flow vorticity. A surprisingly rich spectrum of different modes is observed when the value of A is systematically changed, with sharp transitions between coiled and straightening out modes, period-doubling bifurcations from periodic to migrating solutions, irregular dynamics and chaos.