Rheology of Dense Sheared Granular Liquids

Abstract: The rheology of dense sheared granular liquids is investigated based on the mode-coupling theory (MCT). This extended MCT includes correlations for the density-current mode as well as the density-density correlation mode, and a self-consistent coupling equation for the energy balance condition. The extended MCT exhibits disappearance of the two-step relaxation of the density-density correlation function, and also successfully reproduces the density dependence of the shear viscosity for volume fractions between 0.50 and 0.60, if we shift the density. However, it predicts unphysical tendency for the granular temperature. The cause of this drawback and the possibilities of its amendment are discussed.