Continuum theory of memory effect in crack patterns of drying pastes.

A possible clarification of memory effect observed in crack patterns of drying pastes [A. Nakahara and Y. Matsuo, J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. 74, 1362 (2005)] is presented in terms of a macroscopic elastoplastic model of isotropic pastes. We study flows driven by steady gravitational force instead of external oscillation. The model predicts creation of residual tension in favor of cracks perpendicular to the flow direction, thus causing the same type of memory effect as that reported by Nakahara and Matsuo for oscillated CaCO3 pastes.