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Rayleigh-Plateau instability of an elasto-viscoplastic filament

arXiv Physics Tuesday 02 June 2026, 04:00 UTC By James D. Shemilt, Neil J. Balmforth 1 min read
Key Points

Announce Type: replace Abstract: A slender-thread model is used to explore the Rayleigh-Plateau instability of a filament of elasto-viscoplastic fluid. Without elasticity, a finite yield stress suppresses any linear instability for a filament of constant radius. Including sub-yield elastic deformation permits an elastic Rayleigh-Plateau instability above a critical Deborah number.

arXiv:2512.21059v2 Announce Type: replace Abstract: A slender-thread model is used to explore the Rayleigh-Plateau instability of a filament of elasto-viscoplastic fluid. Without elasticity, a finite yield stress suppresses any linear instability for a filament of constant radius. Including sub-yield elastic deformation permits an elastic Rayleigh-Plateau instability above a critical Deborah number. If stresses over the thinner sections of the thread breach the yield threshold, viscoplastic deformations then drive the filament towards pinch-off. The thread consequently evolves to a beads-on-a-string structure. The elasto-plastic anatomy of the beads is explored and categorized.
Rayleigh-Plateau (ORG) the Rayleigh-Plateau (LOCATION) elasto-viscoplastic fluid (ORG) Deborah (PERSON)
Originally published by arXiv Physics Read original →

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