Indiana University Mathematics Department

Theory of Micropolar Fluids

Author(s): A. CEMAL ERINGEN
Source: Journal of Mathematics and Mechanics, Vol. 16, No. 1 (July, 1966), pp. 1-18
Published by: Indiana University Mathematics Department
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/24901466
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 Theory of Micropolar Fluids

A. CEMAL ERINGEN

Communicated by T. Y. Thomas

Abstract. Equations of motion, constitutive equations and

conditions are derived for a class of fluids named micropolar flui
respond to micro-rotational motions and spin inertia and therefo
couple stress and distributed body couples. Thermodynamical re
studied in detail and field equations are obtained for the density,
and micro-rotation vector. The system is solved for a channel f
certain interesting phenomena.

1. Introduction. The theory of microfluids introduced by Erin

deals with a class of fluids which exhibit certain microscopic effects
the local structure and micro-motions of the fluid elements. Thes
port stress moments and body moments and are influenced by t
The theory of microfluids are, however, too complicated even in
stitutively linear theory and the underlying mathematical proble
amenable to the solution of non-trivial problems in this field.
A subclass of these fluids is the micropolar fluids which exhib
rotational effects and micro-rotational inertia. This class of flu
certain simplicity and elegance in their mathematical formulatio
appeal to mathematicians. The micropolar fluids can suppor
and body couples only. Physically they may represent adequatel
consisting of bar-like elements. Certain anisotropic fluids, e.g.
which are made up of dumbbell molecules, are of this type. I
blood happens to fall into this category. Other polymeric fluids
taining certain additives may be represented by the mathematica
lying micropolar fluids.
Recent experiments [3], [4] with fluids containing extremely sm
polymeric additives indicate that the skin friction near a rigid body
are considerably lower (up to 30-35%) than the same fluids with
The classical Navier-Stokes theory is incapable of predicting
since it contains no mechanism to explain this new physical phen
Naval Hydrodynamic Conference at Bergen last year, Septem
author [5] suggested that the microfluid theory may contain just
1

Journal of Mathematics and Mechanics, Vol. 16, No. 1 (1966).

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2 A. C. ERINGEN

anism required. While it is too early to make the final conclusion on t

the problem of channel flow worked out in this paper is a positiv
this conjecture.
In Arts. 2 and 3 we give a resume of the theory of microfluids
Ref. 1. The theory of micropolar fluids is developed in Art. 4. I
thermodynamics of such fluids are studied and the restriction on
coefficients are obtained. In Art. 6 we give the field equations a
conditions and present the similarity parameters. The last section
(Art. 7) is devoted to the solution of the problem of channel flow
fluids.

2. Laws of motion. In our previous work, Ref. 1, we formulated a theory of

microfluids whose behavior is governed by a set of laws of motion and a con
stitutive theory. Some of these laws are new to the mechanics of continua and
others are modifications and extension of the well-known principles of me
chanics. These are

Conservation of mass:

(2.1) ff+(p^).* = 0 in V,
Balance of momentum:

(2.2) iki.h "f" p(/i — Vi) ~ 0 in D;

Balance of first stress moments:

(2.3) t„i — smi + A*;m,k + p(lim ~ àim) = 0 in U;

Conservation of energy:

(2.4) pi = tkiv[,* + (shi — tki)vki + \kimVmi,k + 5*,* + ph in "Ü>

Figure 1. Coordinates

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 MICROPOLAR ELASTICITY 3

Principle of entropy:

(2.5) pY == P17 — in V;

Inequality (2.5) is axiomatized to be valid for all independent processes. In

these equations

p = mass density,
vh = velocity vector,
tki = stress tensor,
/i = body force per unit mass,
sti = micro-stress average,
Xilm = the first stress moments,
lim = the first body moments per unit mass,
<7,„ = inertial spin,
6 = internal energy density per unit mass,
vkl = gyration tensor,
qk = heat vector directed outward of the body,
h = heat source per unit mas s,
r; = entropy per unit mass,
0 = temperature.

Throughout this paper we employ a rectangular coordinate system , x2 , x3

and the Eulerian representation, Fig. 1. All vectors and tensors are referred to
a set of spatial rectangular coordinates so that no need arises for differentiating
their covariant, contravariant and mixed components from each other. An index
followed by a comma represents partial differentiation with respect to space
variable xk and a superposed dot indicates material differentiation, e.g.

(2.6)

Here and throughout this paper repeated indices denote summation over the
range (1, 2, 3).
For the spin inertia we have the kinematical relation (Ref. 1, eq. 5.5),

(2.7) &kl imltymk I VnkVmn) i

where im! = iim is called micro-inertia moments and according to the law of
conservation of micro-inertia, they satisfy the partial differential equations
(Ref. 1, eq. 2.16),

(2-8)

Expressions (2.1) to (2.5) and (2.8) are valid at all parts of the body B having
volume V and surface S, except at finite number of discontinuity surfaces, lines

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4 A. C. ERINGEN

and points. At the surface S of the body we have the bound

(2.9) tklnk = h , on S,
(2.10) \kimnk = X„ , on S,
where n is the exterior normal to S and tt and X!m are r
tractions and surface moments acting on S.
We note that while equations (2.1), (2.2) are well-known
continuum mechanics, equations (2.3), (2.4) and (2.8) a
of these equations (eq. 2.3 and 2.4) reduct to classical res

(2.11) hl = Uk '
pi = hiVi.k + Çk.k + ph,

when \hlm = llm = v,m - 0. Equation (2.3) is, however, much mor
than (2.11)i and is the result of the new principle of balance of fi
moments as against the limited axiom of balance of moment of mome
the classical theory. Equations (2.8) have, of course, no counterpa
classical continuum theory.
If we exclude the heat conduction phenomena, in the present theor
determination of motion requires the determination of the nineteen u

(2.12) p(x, t), ikJx, t), vk(x, t), vkt(x, t),

as against the four unknowns vk and p of the classical theory.

3. Constitutive equations of microfluids. In Ref. 1 we also gave a set of

constitutive equations for microfluids. For a non-heat conducting mediu
these are expressed as relations between (tki, skt, Xt!m) and the objective quantities

(3.1) dkl = \{vH + vltk),

(3.2) bki — vk,i vki t
(3.3) dklm = Vkl.m >
and p and ikm . Of these d is the rate of deformatio
new tensors respectively called micro-deformation rate
gyration gradient. Both of these latter quantities tr
under any rigid motion of the frame of reference,
they are suitable for use as the independent constit
For the present work we produce here only the r
tive theory of micro-isotropic fluids {i.e. ikm = iSkm
the reader is referred to Ref. 1.

(3.4) t = [—5T + X tr d + X0 tr (b - d)]I

+ 2/i d + 2^0(b — d) + 2^x

(3.5) s = f—x + X tr d -f- t/0 tr (b — d)]I -f-

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 MICROPOLAR ELASTICITY 5

(3.6) Xklm (^Yl^mrr ! Y2^rmr I Ys^rrm) ^kl ~f~ ("K4^Irr I Tô^rïr Î Yô^rrO^jfcm

+ ("V7 ükrr + y&Clrkr + T9«rri)5;m

+ TlO<I»Im +Tu<ïtm( +712^^™ +713«»!! + Tl^imü + 7l5«mU .

where I is the unit tensor and X, X0 , n, n0 , Hi , Vo , fi , and Yi to Yi5 are the

viscosity coefficients. Also tr denotes trace and a superscript T indicates trans
pose, e.g.,

I = 1 tr bu s bk bki = 6»
0

The equation of state for these fluids can be shown to have the form (For a
detailed treatment on thermodynamics see Ref. 1. For the thermodynamics of
micropolar fluids see section 5 below.)

(3.7) e = é(t?, p-1).

so that the thermodynamic pressure ir and the

de de
(3.8)
dp"1 dt]

For non-heat conducting media, the nineteen unknowns (2.12) must satisfy
the thirteen partial differential equations obtained by substituting (2.7) and
(3.4) to (3.6) into (2.1) to (2.3) and the six equations (2.8) so that the number
of independent equations are equal to that of unknowns. Equations so obtained
are nonlinear in the inertia terms and highly complicated otherwise. The purpose
of the present paper is to give a new theory applicable to a large class of fluids
falling within the framework of the microfluid theory presented above, however
possessing adequate mathematical simplicity to make the engineering problems
tractable.

4. Micropolar fluids. A microfluid will be called micropolar if for all motions

(4.1) \lm = Xjfcmi ) Vkl — ~Vlk •

Micropolar fluids exhibit only micro-rotational effects and can

and body couples. Fluid points contained in a small volume elem
to its usual rigid motion, can rotate about the centroid of th
in an average sense described by the gyration tensor v. No m
particles are, however, allowed {vu is skew-symmetric). Thus m
consist of a kind of dumbbell molecules. (The present work c
previous work, Ref. 2, on a similar subject.)
We now proceed to show that a class of microfluids satisfyi
The theory of such fluids is the subject of the remainder of th

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6 A. C. ERINGEN

Condition (4.1)2 implies that

(4.2) Ojfcïm = O-lkm •

Calculating \klm and — XimI from (3.6) and equati
and (4.2) we find that if (4.1) is to be valid for all m

7i — 72 + 74 — 7s = 0,

(4-3) 7? - 7s = 0,
7io ~ 7i2 + 7n ~ 7i3 = 0,
so that

(4.4) \klm — (7l 72)(flmrr Ski ®lrr 5km)

~f* (710 7l2)(P'klm Qkml) ~l~ (7l4 7lö)^imfc •

In view of skew-symmetry conditions (4.1) the independent number of vkt and
\kin> are respectively 3 and 9. Thus it is natural to introduce two new sets of
variables vk and mkl by

(4.5) Vr = \t,klVkl I Vkl — irklV, ,

(4.6) Wlkr ' trltn^klm } feim ~~"^^Imr^kr I
where ektm is the alternating tensor. Here the axial vector vr will be called micro
rotation vector and mkr the couple stress tensor. The sign convention for mkr is
identical to that of the stress tensor and is shown on Fig. 2. Similarly we intro

Figure
Figure2.2.
Positive
Positive
Couple
Couple
StressStress
Components
Components

duce micro-inertial rotation &k and body couple lk by (The couple stress and body
couple introduced here are identical to those defined in Ref. 6, Art. 31.)

(4-7) <rr = trki&ki i Qki — 2eTki<rr ,

(4.8) lr = trkllkl I Ikl — —2erjfc;?r .

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 MICROPOLAR ELASTICITY 7

Now multiply (2.3) by ertm and use (4.5) to (4.8)

(4.9) mrk, r + ihirtir + p(h — &k) — 0.

Similarly using (4.5) and (4.6) in (2.4) we may replace the equation of energy

(4.10) pi = tki(vi,k — turVr.) + mhlvi,k + qk,k + ph.

An alternative but useful form to (4.10) is obtained by using

vk,i = dki + uici = dki — ekimwm ,

where

(4.11) Wjtj = Vl.k) I

ia the classical spin tensor and cor is the vor

(4.12) pi — tkX dik + tki€kir(ur — vr) + m

The boundary conditions (2.10) are similar

(4.13) mrknr = mk , on S,

where mk = is the surface couple vector acting o

attention to the constitutive equations. Equation (3.4) c

(4.14) tkl = (—t + \,vr,r) 5ki + n,(pk,i + vUk) + Kt(vi,

where we set

(4.15) n Ho — Hi = n, , 2(m! — y.o) s k, .

An alternative form to (4.14) is

(4.16) tki = (—t + X„ ci!rr) Ski + (2/1, + kv) dk, + K,tur(ur — vr).

If we multiply (4.4) by erIm and use (4.5) and (4.6) this equation ca
transformed into

(4.17) mkl = a,vTtT 5ki + ß,vkii + yvvt,k ,

where

18^ «, = 2(y12 - 7io)i ßv = 2(y2 - 7i).

7, s 2(y, - 72 + 7io - 712 ~ 7u + 7is)
We now substitute (4.16) and (4.17) into (4.12) to calculate the rate of interna
energy.

(4.19) pi = -ir dkk + X, du dkk + (2/i, + *,) dkl d,k + 2k,(w* — vk)(uk — vk)

+ a,vk.kvt.i + ßtvkJi>i,k + y,vi,kvi,k + qk,h + ph.

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8 A. C. ERINGEN

The assumptions of micro-isotropy and the skew-symmetry

in (2.8) gives

(4.20) = 0,JJuor, i = const = j/2, on material lines.

Finally we give an expression of the inertial rotation

<rr = —erkicrki = —erkii{vn + Win);

using (4.1)2 this reduces to

(4.21) bk = jv t .
Summarizing the results: Basic equations
(4.10) and the constitutive equations (4.14)
micropolar fluids may exist as a subclass of m
The thermodynamic restrictions on the vi
article.

5. Thermodynamics of micropolar flui

concerned with the non-heat conducting
principle of equipresence (Ref. 6, Art. 44)
must be a function of the same list of va
the case. In harmony with this practice th
fluids must have the general form

(5.1) e = e(j], p , dki , bki , aktm).

The dependence on i is dropped since i = const, along a material
proceed to show that the dependence of e on d, b and a can be elimina
the ground of the second law of thermodynamics (2.5). Eliminating (qk,k
between (4.10) and (2.5) we get

(5.2) p(,Ü - j) + ~e *„(»,.» - eklrvr) + -e mklVl.k + ^^0.

Using (5.1) this becomes

•n _ 7i , Ht p p ( de } , de t , de . \
pr = H1 - ëW + 6dT~P - 0te4, + dbT,bkl + d^.akl-J

+ £ hifyi.k — tkirV,) + £ mkivt,k + ^2^ è 0

This inequality must be satisfied for all independent changes of 17, d

0,* . Since it is linear in these quantities, it cannot be maintained fo
pendent variations of these quantities unless

<5-3> #- = dd^iei)
3T =obki0. OCLiclm
ÎT1- " ».

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 MICROPOLAR ELASTICITY 9

(5.4) Qk = 0,

(5-5)

(5.6)

where through (2.1) we replace p by — pdkk . In (5.3) a parenthesis enclosing

indices indicates the symmetric part, e.g.

Since any function e of a symmetric tensor dH can always be expressed as a

function dW) we see from (5.3) that t must be independent of d, b and a. Using
(4.16) and (4.17) the inequality (5.6) is further reduced to

(5.7) pr s i [X, dkk dn + (2ju, + kv) dkl dlk + 2k,(wk — vk)(uk — vk)

+ uj>k,kvi,i + ß,vk.ivUk + y.vi,kv,,k\ ^ 0.

We have thus proved

Theorem 1. The necessary and sufficient conditions for the local Clausius
Duhern inequality (2.5) to be satisfied jor all independent processes are: (i) e must
be independent o/ d, b and a; (ii) temperature 9 and pressure x must be defined
by (3.8) and (iii) inequality (5.7) must be satisfied jor all possible motions.

We now investigate the restrictions emanating from the satisfaction of (5.7)

for all independent d, w — v and viik. It is clear that for all values of d irrespec
tive of <o — v and vUk we must have the classical conditions

i (3X, + 2m„ + k,) à 0, ^ > 0,

which are necessary and sufficient for the non-negativeness of the terms con
taining d. Similarly we must also have

K,/e ^ o,
in order that pT be non-negative for all values of o — v. Finally the conditions,
in a,, ß, and y, are obtained by making the last three terms in (5.7) non-negative,

z {aj>k,kVi,i + ß,vkAvUk + è o.

This expression can be written as a quadratic form in a nine dimensional space,

i.e.

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10 A. C. ERINGEN

auUiVi ^ 0, au = aj{ ,
where

2/l — **1,1 I 2/2 — ^2,2 » 2/3 = ^3,3 >

2/4 = vl,2 > 2/5 = *>2,1 ) 2/s = ^2,3 )

2/7 = ^3,2 I Vi — 1*3,1 ; 2/9 — Vl,3 I

Ou = a22 = a33 = ^ (a, + ß, + 7»)> ^12 = ßi3 = «23 = a,/d,

Q45 ~ a67 = Ö89 = ßv/

Ö44 = 055 = «66 = &77 = ®88 = Ö09 = 7»/0>

all other a,-,- = 0.

The characteristic values a( of au are obtained by solving the equation

det (au - a da) = 0.

The nine roots for a are

a! = a2 = a3 = 7. — ß. ,

üi — 0,5 = «6 = «7 = Û8 = 7» + ßv .

a9 = 3a„ + ß» + 7» ■
In order that the ^ 0 to be satisfied for all we must have

(7, - ßv)/e ^ 0, (7, + ß\)/e è 0, (3a„ + ß, + yv)/e ^ o.

Hence

Theorem 2. The necessary and sufficient conditions for the inequality (5.7)
to be satisfied jor all motion are

(3X„ + 2m, + k,)/0 è 0, n,/e ^ 0, k,/9 ^ 0,

(3a„ + 2T5)/e ^ 0, -y,/0 g /?„/0 ^ y,/8, y Je ^ 0.
These are the conditions on the viscosity coefficients. In general we a
e > 0.

Corollary. The necessary and sufficient condition jor the local Clausius- Duhem
inequality to be satisfied jor all independent processes are (5.8).
This result is clear as a combination of Theorems 1 and 2.

6. Field equations. The differential equations satisfied by p, vk and vk are

given by (2.1) and combinations of (4.14) and (4.17) with (2.2) and (4.9), i.e.,

(6.1) || + (pvk),k = 0,

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 MICROPOLAR ELASTICITY 11

(6.2) — ir,k + (X„ + + (ß, + Kv)Vk.ll + + ß(fk ~ Vk) = 0,

(6.3) (a, + ß,)vi,u + y,vk,u + — 2 K,vk + p(lk — jvk) = 0,
where a superposed dot indicates the material differentiation, i.e.

m a\ ■ dVk I dvk ,
(6-4) Vk~~dt Vk-'Vl '
The partial differential equations
micropolar fluids. Under appropr
capable of predicting the behavior o
ness theorems must of course be pro
problem to be "well-posed." Presen
conditions.

Initial conditions att = 0

p(x, 0) = p0(x),
(6.5) vk(x, 0) = v0k(x),
Vk:(x, 0) = Vqt(x),

where p0, v0 and v0 are to be prescribed through

Boundary conditions at a rigid boundary

(6.6) v(Xfi ' = Vß '

v(xjs , t) = \B ,

where xB is a point on a rigid boundary having prescribed ve

prescribed micro-rotation vector vB . Conditions (6.6) express th
of adherence of the fluid to the solid boundary.

Boundary conditions involving prescribed forces and moments

In place of (6.6) we may prescribe boundary forces and moments

by (2.9) and (4.13), i.e.

^0 hink — ti ,
mkink = mi .

Other types of mixed conditions are possible. The final judgement on th

questions requires theoretical work on the question of existence and uniqu
and experimental work on the flow conditions.
Equations (6.1) to (6.3) are expressed in rectangular coordinates. V
expressions of these equations useful for work in other systems of coordinates

(6.8) fj+V-(pv) = 0,

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12 A. C. ERINGEN

(6.9) (X„ + 2yu, + OVV'T — (nv + OV X v X V + k,V x v — Vx + pf

0 - V x (v X v) + iV(v2)
(6.10) (a, + ß, + 7,)VV-v — 7»V x V x v + k„V x v — 2k,v + pi = pjv,
where v does not possess as simple an expression as v. There is, however, no
particular difficulty in calculating it through its tensorial form, cf. [2, 17, also
Appendix].
We note that for k, = a, = ß, = y, = 0 and vanishing 1 through (6.3) we
get vk = 0 and (6.2) reduce to the celebrated Navier-Stokes equations. Note
also that for k, = 0 the velocity v and the micro-rotation are uncoupled and the
global motion is unaffected by the micro-rotations.
The classical Stokes conditions 3X„ + 2jut = 0 for the micropolar fluids have
the corresponding form

(6.11) 3X, + 2/i, + k, = 0,

to which we place no great faith.
For an incompressible fluids p = const, V *v = 0
unknown pressure p to be determined from the boun
The similarity parameters of the micropolar fl
dimensionalizing equations (6.1) to (6.3). Thus let L a
characteristic length and time and

(6 12) X = x/L, I = t/T, v = v/t'o ,

f = ir/iro , p = p/po , f = f//o , J = j
where t0 , po , v0 , va , U and j0 are some reference valu
respectively. Substituting (6.12) into (6.1) to (6.3)
non-dimensional equations

(6.13) ns-y + (pvk),k = 0,

(6.14) ndi,u + n2vk,u + n3ekimVm,i — nti,k + p(njk — n5 ^ — vk,tv^j = 0,

(6.15) mj>liki + m2Vk,u + m3eklJm,i — + p'j (mjk - n51| — vkt,ü,) = 0,

where

nx = (X, + p,)/p0v0L, n2 = (n, + k,)/p0v0L, n3 = kvv0/p0v2a ,

JÎ4 = 7To/Pol'o I ft5 — L/Tvo , Îi6 == jaL/Vo ,
(6.16)
mi = (a. + ß,)/pojoVBL, m2 = y./pojoVoL, m3 = k,/p0j0v0 ,
m4 s K,L/p0j0v0 , m5 = nb , m6 = l0L/j0jv0v0

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 MICROPOLAR ELASTICITY 13

Of these nx , n2 are the reciprocal Reynolds n

known from the Navier-Stokes theory. The pre
numbers namely n3,77^ ,m2,m3, m4 and . For a
to m2 so that the only new parameters are

(6 17) 713 ~ K"V^Pot" ' = p^aVo

W3 — 772.4/7713 = VqL/Vq , THg = 101j/joJVd

The four of these new similarity parameters rep

of rotational viscosities to the inertia terms and
rotation velocity to the velocity.
Finally an indeterminate couple stress theory
special case of the theory of micropolar fluids
strained by
(6.18) vk — uk .
The development here is parallel to th
omitted. In this case the stress is decom
(6-19) tki = /(i!) -)- /[4j] ,
where the symmetric part tW) is understood to be gi
(6.17) and the skew-symmetric part tW\ is calculated f

(6.20) tW\ — (ffc.inn — ^i.inn) + P^Jlkl] ~ 2 JTt V U ' ^ '

Using (6.18) in (2.2) we obtain the field equations of the theory.

(A, + m. + I + V2]vk,lk + (m, + I - ^ V2k"

(6.21)
D
(Vk.l
— 7T,I + p/l + I (Ikl.k — Uk.k) = pVl + 4" Dt ~ V,.t)j >
where D/Di is the material derivative operator.
7. Flow of micropolar fluids in a circular pipe. Here we give the solution of
the field equations (6.8) to (6.10) for a steady motion of micropolar fluids in a
circular channel. The appropriate coordinate system for this problem is the
cylindrical coordinates (r, 6, z) with z taken along the axis of the pipe. For a
steady flow we seek to détermine the velocity and micro-rotation velocity com
ponents

g ^ vr = v, = 0, v. = w(r),
V, - V, = 0, Vg = v(r).
Equation of continuity (6.8) is satisfied identically for p = const, and (6.9)
and (6.10) with f = 1 = 0 give p,r = p., = 0 and
(7.2) 0. + K,)(rw')' + K(p)' = rp,t ,
(7.3) 7„(/ + r~\)' — k,w' — 2k,v = 0,

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14 A. C. ERINGEN

where a superposed prime indicates differentiation with re

used p to denote hydrostatic pressure in place of v.
From (7.2) we solve for w'. Hence

(7.4) w' = (ju, + kvv + ^V.^j + Cir'1.

Next substitute w' into (7.3). This gives

(7.5) v" + -rv'\ -r(k2 + 4V = Pr + *

) 7 r
where,

(J R\ I. — (+ K, p _ K, dp
^ - V H, + K, y J ' r - 20». + K,)yv dz '
The general solution of (7.5) is found to be

(7.7) * = Ah(kr) + BKJJcr) - Pk~2r + ~t—,

y k r

where 7x(p) and Ki{p) are modified Bessel functions of first order and first a
second kind respectively. Substituting this into (7.4), and integrating the resu
we obtain

(7.8) w = », (n. + K.y'k-'l-AIoikr) + BKJkr)]

+ + «,)->/ + 2^+7 Cl logr + C'

where 70 and K0 are modified Bessel functions of zeroth order and first and
second kind respectively A, B, C and C, are arbitrary constants.
Both w and v must be bounded at r = 0. Since K0(kr), K^kr) and log r become
infinite for r — 0 we must have B — Ci = 0. We assume that the fluid sticks
to the boundary r ~ a, i.e.,
(7.9) w(a) = 0, v(a) = 0.
Using (7.7) and (7.8) we determine A and C lea

ci m\ m'm i 2 I 1 70(X) 70(Xp) .

(7.1Ü) w/wo = 1 — p H —— — Yl\\ ~TK\ ~ 1 ■
p, + k, X i^X) _/0(X)

(7.11) m/w0 = p - ^ ,
where

w0 == -\a\2p, + g ,
(7.12) p s r/a,

x . . \C>
(2^.
+ «, 7./

Here w0 is the maximum velocity in the classical Poiseuille flow which occurs.

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 MICROPOLAR ELASTICITY 15

at r = 0. The solution (7.10) goes into the classical Poiseuille flow for k, = 0
and (7.11) gives v — 0.
According to (5.8) with 6 > 0 we have p., , k, and y, non-negative. Thus X is
a real number. For various values of X we give on Fig. 4 plots of velocity dif
ference from the classical Poiseuille flow and on Fig. 5 vh/w0 . From Fig. 4 as

Figtjee 3. Velocity Profile for X = 1

Figure 4. Adverse Microflow

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16 A. C. ERINGEN

Figure 5. Micro-Rotation

the velocity here is smaller than that of the classical Navier-Stokes fluids. Of
course, micro-rotation v is altogether missing in the Navier-Stokes theory.
The non-vanishing components of the stress tensor and those of the couple
stress are obtained through expressing (4.14) and (4.17) in cylindrical coordi
nates. Hence

'rr ~P,

(7.13)

We note that trx ^ t,r whenever k, ^ 0.

On Figs 6 and 7 are shown the surface tractions and couples on the fluid
surface adjacent to the wall at p = 1 for dp/dz < 0, ß, < 0 and of course y, > 0.
The shearing stress tr, has the same expression as in the classical theory. How
ever the existence of the distributed couples m6r on the fluid surface (Fig. 3)
will produce an effect in a thin layer near the wall, equivalent to reduction of
the surface shear. Clearly then the present theory gives rise to a boundary
layer phenomena not present in the Navier-Stokes theory. This new boundary
layer is controlled with the parameter X.
We believe that the theory of micropolar fluids opens up a very worthwhile

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 MICROPOLAR ELASTICITY 17

Figure 6. Shear Stress Difference

Figure 7. Couple Stress

branch of fluid mechanics. It should find impor

variety of fluids. It should, in particular cast n
turbulence. Rich theoretical and experimental s
workers.

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18 A. C. ERINGEN

Acknowledgment. The author is indebted to Dr. T. Ar

numerical calculations.

References

f 1] Eringen, A. C., Int. J. Engng. Sei., 2 (1964) 205.

[2] Ehingen, A. C., Proc. XI Intern. Congress of Appl. Mech. Springer-Verlag (1965).
[3] Hoyt, J. W., & Fabula, A. G., The Effect of Additives on Fluid Friction, U. S. Naval
nance Test Station Report, 1964.
[4] Vogel, W. M., & Patterson, A. M., An Experimental Investigation of the Effect of Add
Injected into the Boundary Layer of an Underwater Body, Pacific Naval Lab. of
Defense Res. Board of Canada, Rpt. 64-2.
[5] Eringen, A. C., Proc. 5th Symposium on Naval Hydrodynamics, Bergen, September 10
[6] Eringen, A. C., Nonlinear Theory of Continuous Media, McGraw-Hill, 1962.
{7] Eringen, A. C., "Linear Theory of Micropolar Elasticity," ONR Tech. Report 29, S
of Aeronautics, Astronautics and Engineering Sciences, Purdue U., Sept. 1965; sched
for publication in J. Math, and Mech.

Purdue University

Date Communicated: December 2, 1965

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