Channel Foam Flow Around an Obstacle in a Two-Dimensional Bubble Model

Abstract

We numerically study confined channel foam flow around an obstacle using a two-dimensional bubble model, inspired by experiments performed in the same geometry. We systematically vary the polydispersity, the external driving force, and the packing fraction of the system. Our simulations capture a broad range of plastic flow phenomenologies, from highly directional, sliding-like motion characteristic of crystalline materials to more isotropic and localized rearrangements typical of amorphous systems. We identify a threshold value of polydispersity that marks the crossover between crystalline-like and amorphous-like plasticity. In addition, we observe the existence of a critical external force, associated with the phenomenon of yield drag, above which the system reaches steady flow and below which it remains arrested. We determine a critical packing fraction above which such yield-drag behavior emerges. Our results provide a comprehensive framework for understanding the interplay between disorder, driving, and the presence of an obstacle in foam flows.