A generalized eddy-viscosity function νT, is introduced in order to express the Reynolds stress in an incompressible dusty gas as a linear combination of the Kronecker and rate-of-strain tensors. On the basis of Saffman's dusty-gas model a transport equation for the eddy viscosity is derived from the general turbulence energy equations, thereby introducing two additional functions, the specific turbulence kinetic energy E1, and a scale variable s. In order to determine the three variables modified Prandtl–Wieghardt relation among them is accepted and a transport equation for s is postulated in the same manner as in the clean-gas turbulence transport model (firstly proposed by Harlow & Nakayama 1967) but with the inclusion of an additional term accounting for the dust particles stabilizing action. We are considering values of loading (mass ratio of particles) of order of unity, with particle/gas density ratios of order of 103 and volume concentrations of the order of 10−3, so that particle–particle interactions are neglected. Supposing that the particles nearly follow the gas motion, following well at large scales and poorly at small, an application of the theory to problem of numerical calculations of the dusty-gas parameters such as mean velocity profile of turbulent pipe flow is given.