Publication
We present a unified framework for understanding the compaction of colloidal gels under their own weight. The dynamics of the collapse are determined by the value of the gravitational stress σg, as compared to the yield stress σY of the network. For σgσY, the network eventually yields, leading to rapid settling. In both cases, the rate of collapse is backflow limited, while its overall magnitude is determined by a balance between gravitational stress and network elastic stress. © 2005 The American Physical Society.
Frédéric Courbin, Martin Raoul Robert Millon
Nicolas Lawrence Etienne Longeard
Daniel Tataru, David Rodriguez Martinez, Erik Uythoven, Thomas Pfeiffer