Buckled in translation
arXiv:1003.5832
Abstract
We report experiments on the deformation and transport of an elastic fiber in a viscous cellular flow, namely a lattice of counter-rotative vortices. We show that the fiber can buckle when approaching a stagnation point. By tuning either the flow or fiber properties, we measure the onset of this buckling instability. The buckling threshold is determined by the relative intensity of viscous and elastic forces, the elasto-viscous number Sp. Moreover we show that flexible fibers escape faster from a vortex (formed by closed streamlines) compared to rigid fibers. As a consequence, the deformation of the fiber changes its transport properties in the cellular flow.
arXiv comment5 pages, 4 figures
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- Rotational dynamics of a soft filament: wrapping transition and propulsive forces