Theoretical and experimental study of transient squeezing flow in a highly porous film

We report a theoretical and experimental study for transient squeezing flow through a thin, highly porous structure, where the pressure response is governed by the local acceleration, the viscous effect and the Darcy force from the porous structure. It is predicted that the flow developed from an initial inviscid stage to a behavior attesting to the Brinkman equation. The transition is governed by the Brinkman number and the ratio of Reynolds number to Stroudhal number. An experimental study was performed, showing excellent agreement with the theory. The paper, revealing the important role of soft porous media for squeeze damping and lubrication, has significant potential in biomedical and industrial applications.