Flexible fibers in turbulent channel flow: what can we learn from direct numerical simulations? | with Professor Cristian Marchioli

This talk surveys some recent results on the dispersion of slender flexible fibers in wall-bounded turbulence. The fibers represent a proxy for elongated microplastics that may be found in the environment and are tracked using a point-particle Lagrangian approach. The turbulent flow in which the fibers evolve is solved by means of direct numerical simulations and the results allow investigation of the fiber alignment, rotation and deformation dynamics in an anisotropic turbulent flow. In particular, the dynamics of the fibers are examined at varying aspect ratio (in the range 102 - 103) and bending stiffness (up to values representative of microplastics).

The lecturer
Cristian Marchioli is professor of Fluid Mechanics at the University of Udine in Italy, where he got his PhD in Chemical Science and Technology in 2003. He is also one of the Editors of the journal Acta Mechanica and director of the Department of Fluid Mechanics of the International Center of Mechanical Sciences (CISM).
His research focuses on the numerical simulation of turbulent dispersed flows, and in particular on the dynamics of flexible particles in wall-bounded turbulence.