Structural Network Model of Dense Suspension

Abstract

A structural network model for investigating dense suspension is introduced. The suspension may be considered as particle dispersion in liquid as a continuous phase and it is the combination of the three-dimensional arrangement of the fine particles and the forces acting between them that determines the physico-chemical behavior at all stages of the processing. The model assumes that microstructural features of dense suspension can be represented by simple linear network with a breakdown threshold. The conditions under which such a structural network model is valid for studying flow are discussed. The cement paste, asphalt, sand-water and clay-water system were investigated respectively using this model. An oscillating rheometer and a conventional rotational viscometer were used to carry out this study. The dynamical and viscoelastic properties of dense suspension were observed. All the qualitative features of the network results can be described theoretically by a statistical analysis of this problem. Soil mechanics principles which are focused on critical-state theory were applied to describe the stress-strain behavior of dense suspension.