Rheology of dense granular and suspension systems

The Granular Mechanics and Industrial Infrastructure research group, at the School of Engineering of the University of Edinburgh, conducts fundamental research on the mechanics of granular materials and their interaction with industrial infrastructure, with broad applications in silo design, bulk solids handling, paste rheology, fluidisation and natural hazard mitigation. We are currently looking for candidates for the following funded PhD positions:

Rheology of dense granular and suspension systems

What do mayonnaise, shaving gel, toothpaste and sand pile have in common? They all can sit still on a surface, but flow easily under applied forces. They have been shown to behave similarly as dry granular media when they are dense enough and close to jamming. In this research, we exploit the universality of these different systems to characterise the rheological behaviour of generic dense granular systems. We aim to establish a multiscale continuum theory with greater predictive capability for a wide range of engineering applications. The research will employ an approach integrating fundamental continuum theory, novel experimentation using confocal microscopy imaging and high-performance computing.

Contact: Dr Jin Sun ([Email Address Removed])