The effect of liquid viscosity on sliding friction coefficient of wet granular materials

Abstract

The mechanical properties of wet granular materials are different to those of dry granular matter. If the wet granular medium is not completely saturated, the capillary bridges form and the surface tension changes the elastic properties of the medium. We studied the sliding friction of a sledge over wet granular media and found that surface tension and viscosity have crucial effect on the dynamic friction coefficient of the wet granular media. Higher the viscosity of the interstitial liquid results in higher dynamic friction coefficient. Furthermore, viscous interstitial liquid shows time dependency behaviour. Viscosity makes the friction coefficient to increase since causes more the energy loss.