Journal
JOURNAL OF FLUID MECHANICS
Volume 679, Issue -, Pages 641-654Publisher
CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESS
DOI: 10.1017/jfm.2011.173
Keywords
capillary flows; lubrication theory; porous media
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Funding
- Unilever Research
- National Science Foundation
- Division Of Mathematical Sciences
- Direct For Mathematical & Physical Scien [0902932] Funding Source: National Science Foundation
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We present the results of a combined experimental and theoretical investigation of the surface-tension-driven coalescence of flexible structures. Specifically, we consider the dynamics of the rise of a wetting liquid between flexible sheets that are clamped at their upper ends. As the elasticity of the sheets is progressively increased, we observe a systematic deviation from the classical diffusive-like behaviour: the time to reach equilibrium increases dramatically and the departure from classical rise occurs sooner, trends that we elucidate via scaling analyses. Three distinct temporal regimes are identified and subsequently explored by developing a theoretical model based on lubrication theory and the linear theory of plates. The resulting free-boundary problem is solved numerically and good agreement is obtained with experiments.
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