Emergence of Purely Elasto-Plastic Turbulence in Shear Flows
Fluid Dynamics
2026-01-15 v1
Abstract
We observe the emergence of a distinct, elasticity-driven flow state in a yield-stress fluid in the absence of inertia. Numerical simulations show that this elasto-plastic turbulent state is characterized by a broad spectrum of fluctuations in velocity and stress. Results show a non-monotonic relationship between the volume fraction of the unyielded flow and plasticity. Surprisingly, we find that above a critical value of plasticity, the system can fluidize. Our results reveal the complex interplay between elasticity and plasticity in simple shear flows, indicating that plasticity can enhance rather than hinder momentum transport.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.2601.08992,
title = {Emergence of Purely Elasto-Plastic Turbulence in Shear Flows},
author = {Muhammad Abdullah and Shravan Pradeep and Doug J. Jerolmack and Becca Thomases and Paulo E. Arratia},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2601.08992},
year = {2026}
}