SUMMARY

The purpose of this study is to research the effect of elastically deformable particles on the rheology and microstructure of noncolloidal suspensions. The analysis uses numerical simulations coupling a lattice-Boltzmann method (LBM) fluid and a finite-element analysis (FEA) solid, which is a novel coupling that has not been published. The lattice-Boltzmann method has been previously coupled to rigid particles, and the method offers an efficient framework for the inclusion of different solid-phase models, such as the FEA model in this research. Finite-element analysis is a mature field in applications for solid mechanics and, with linear assumptions, can provide an efficient means for simulating motion and deformation. Deformable particles will create measurable changes in suspension rheology and the elasticity of the particles will be an important parameter in describing these suspensions. This research will determine quantitatively the effect of deformation on the rheological properties of effective viscosity, normal stress differences, and suspension pressure in simple shear flow. The applicability of the LBM–FEA method to larger domains will be demonstrated by simulating thousands of deformable particles traveling through tube and bifurcating geometries.