No-slip condition

In fluid dynamics, the no-slip condition is a boundary condition which enforces that at a solid boundary, a viscous fluid attains zero bulk velocity. This boundary condition was first proposed by Osborne Reynolds, who observed this behaviour while performing his influential pipe flow experiments. The form of this boundary condition is an example of a Dirichlet boundary condition.

In the majority of fluid flows relevant to fluids engineering, the no-slip condition is generally utilised at solid boundaries. This condition often fails for systems which exhibit non-Newtonian behaviour. Fluids which this condition fails includes common food-stuffs which contain a high fat content, such as mayonnaise or melted cheese.