
7.3 Viscoelastic Fluid and Flow
7.2-4 Discuss and specify difficulties for measuring the elongational vis-
cosity by utilizing the converging channel (refer Fig. 7.13 (b)).
7.3 Viscoelastic Fluid and Flow
There are flow phenomena that cannot be explained by the Newtonian vis-
cous law. Of which, the best know is the Weissenberg effect, in Problem
7.2.3, where some non-Newtonian fluids climb up a rod when it is inserted
perpendicular to the fluid interface and rotated along its axis. The phenom-
ena can be seen easily by stirring paint or cream in daily life. Another phe-
nomenon associated with behavior of non-Newtonian fluids is the extru-
date (die) swell in which the fluid emerges from a capillary tube and the
diameter increases in vicinity of the exit (for example see Fig. 7.13(a)).
This phenomenon is often experienced in the extrusion of meltplastic.
These phenomena of non-Newtonian fluids are responsible for normal
stress effects, contrary to what the Newtonian viscous effect (shear stress)
does. The normal stress effects are an expression of a fluid elasticity,
which is added to the viscous effects when the fluid is in motion. The vis-
coelastic fluids possess both viscous and elastic characters, with a nature
unto themselves.
There are so many attempts to include the elastic effect in a macro-
scopic constitutive equation, with which unique phenomena of viscoelastic
fluids would be explained. Although it is almost impossible to categorize
the viscoelastic constitutive equation, historically, there might be three ap-
proaches to construct the equations: the first approach is one that is devel-
oped from a simple one dimensional rheological equation using a spring
and a dashpot together with the concept of continuum mechanics, based on
experimental facts and, moreover, experiences; the second approach is one
that is derived from the general concept of genuine continuum mechanics;
and the third approach is one that is developed from molecular dynamics
in combination with the continuum concept, considering the molecular
structures of the fluids, chiefly for polymeric fluids. In this text we shall
follow the first approach in great detail.
The application of a constitutive equation for viscoelastic fluids to flow
phenomena is another problem. Particularly, flows in actual engineering
are very complicated where, in analysis, the nonlinear constitutive equa-
tion is highly coupled with its continuity, the linear momentum and energy
equations. In such situations, the only possible way to tackle these prob-
lems is to rely on numerical analysis. Nevertheless, there are some analyti-
cal solutions possible for a simple geometry of flow. In this text we will
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