ESDU 82036 considers the classification of non-Newtonian fluids according to their rheological behavior. The characteristic shapes of the rheological (shear stress vs shear rate) for various classes of fluid are presented together with the constitutive equations describing their behavior. Examples of fluids in the various classifications are given, and methods of measuring their characteristics are described. For the particular group of non-Newtonian fluids comprising solid particles suspended in a liquid medium, the settling behavior of the particles at zero or low flow velocities is discussed in terms of the basic behavior of well-dispersed, uniform-sized spherical particles and the effect on this behavior of non-spherical shapes, particle concentration and non-uniform size.