Curved fibers in turbulent channel flow

We investigate how breaking the geometric axisymmetry of fibers alters their dynamics when suspended in wall turbulence, using intrinsic curvature as a controlled proxy for symmetry loss. The study is based on a series of large-scale direct numerical simulations of turbulent channel flow laden with flexible fibers with varying lengths and intrinsic curvatures. We find that curved fibers tend to accumulate in the near-wall region of the flow. Analyzing their orientation dynamics, we recorded a marked shift in dynamics in comparison to their straight counterparts as they tend to have a preferential alignment even in the near-isotropic region of the flow. They also tend to tumble at larger rates with increasing curvatures. Furthermore, we also find that fiber dynamics become less sensitive to their curvature with increasing length.