Emergence of Purely Elastoplastic Turbulence in Shear Flows.

Authors

Muhammad Abdullah, Shravan Pradeep, Doug J Jerolmack, Becca Thomases, Paulo E Arratia

Published in

Physical review letters. Volume 137. Issue 14. Pages 144002. Oct 02, 2026.

Abstract

Yield-stress fluids only flow above a critical stress. Here, 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 elastoplastic turbulent state is characterized by non-Gaussian bimodal velocity distribution and a broad spectrum of velocity and stress fluctuations. Results show a nonmonotonic relationship between the volume fraction of the unyielded flow and plasticity. Surprisingly, the system can fluidize near the emergence of the elastoplastic turbulent state. Our results reveal the complex interplay between elasticity and plasticity in simple shear flows, indicating that plasticity can mobilize the flow rather than arrest it. These findings are relevant for the flow and stability of muds, clays, and soft materials in general.

PMID:
42886948
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 17 Oct 2026.

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