A new empirical viscosity model for composed suspensions used in experiments of sediment gravity flows

ABSTRACT Sediment gravity flows are natural composed by water and sediment in which the gravitational flow acts on sediment. The distinct physical properties of cohesive (clay) non-cohesive (sand) sediment, interaction between these particles alter ability to resist movement (rheology) along time space, represented viscosity a mixture suspension. Hence, we propose study rheological those mixtures calculate their relative when used simulation turbidity currents. Rheological tests were performed with various water, clay and/or coal. Two equations proposed estimate as function volume concentration each maximum packing fraction percentage present mixture. results also show an error close 20% comparing similar models from literature, satisfactory. demonstrate that caution should be exercised generalizing use single model predict suspensions. influence density (ρ), grain shape, (Cclay), volumetric (ϕ) packaging (ϕmax) considered formulation equations.