RHEOLOGICAL MODELS
ABEN 3513 – Properties of
ABE Materials
Presented by: CHEENIE MAE A. SAGUN
What is Rheology and Rheological?
Rheology is the science of deformation and flow of matter. By making certain measurement on a
fluid, it is possible to determine how that fluid will flow under a variety of conditions including
temperature, pressure and shear rate.
The rheological behavior of a material is described by the relationship between shear stress and
shear rate, referred to as the flow curve, and this can be measured with rheometers.
Rheological Models
The word viscoelastic is derived from the words "viscous" + "elastic"; a
viscoelastic material exhibits both viscous and elastic behavior – a bit like a fluid and a bit
like a solid.
A model of linear viscoelasticity is made by considering the combinations of the linear elastic
spring and the linear viscous dash-pot. These are known as rheological models or mechanical
models:
Hooke and Newtonian
Maxwell Model
Kelvin Model
Hooke and Newtonian
Mechanical element models provide a means of expressing viscoelastic material behavior
mathematically by combining these two concept and law. It is the elements of Hooke’s Model
for elastic solids and Newton’s Model for Newtonian fluids.
An elastic solid that obeys Hooke’s Law will have a constant relationship between stress and
strain. A Newtonian fluid on the other hand, extends at a rate proportional to the applied stress. A
mechanical model can be built by considering linear elastic springs and linear viscous dash-pots.
To understand mechanical element models in rheology, the basic mechanical models for the
elastic spring and viscous dash-pot must be first explained.
Hooke and Newtonian
LINEAR ELASTIC SPRING - For a
linear elastic spring of stiffness, E, the
response can be modeled by:
𝜀 = (1/E)𝜎
Where: 𝐸= stiffness
𝜀= strain
𝜎= applied stress
Hooke and Newtonian
LINEAR VISCOUS DASH-POT - The
linear viscous dash-pot can be imagined as a piston-
cylinder arrangement filled with a viscous fluid, The
response relates the stress and the strain rate by the
expression:
𝜀̇ = (1/ 𝜂) 𝜎
Where: 𝜀̇=strain rate 𝜂= viscosity 𝜎=applied stress
MAXWELL MODEL
The Maxwell Model consists of a spring element and a dash-pot in series. Total strain in the
system is obtained from the spring and dash-pot and therefore expressed as:
Total strain = (spring 𝜀 1) + (dash-pot 𝜀 2)
The Maxwell Model can be expressed mathematically as: 𝜎 + (𝜂/𝐸) 𝜎 = 𝜂𝜀̇
This constitutive equation has been put in what is known as standard form – stress on left, strain
on right, increasing order of derivatives from left to right, and coefficient of 𝜎 is 1.
MAXWELL Creep Recovery Response
MODEL Consider now a creep test. Physically, when the Maxwell
model is subjected to a stress 𝜎0, the spring will
stretch immediately and the dash-pot will take time to react.
Thus, the initial strain is 𝜀 (0) = 𝜎0 / E.
The creep-response can again be expressed in terms of a
creep compliance function:
When the load is removed, the spring again
reacts immediately, but the dash-pot has no tendency to
recover.
MAXWELL MODEL
Stress Relaxation
In the stress relaxation test, the material is subjected to a constant strain 𝜀0 at t= 0. The Maxwell
model then leads to:
Analogous to the creep function J for the creep test, E(t) is called the relaxation modulus
function. The parameter Rt is called the relaxation time of the material and is a measure of the
time taken for the stress to relax; the shorter the relaxation time, the more rapid the stress
relaxation.
KELVIN MODEL
This model represents the viscoelastic
element of a material as a spring and
The equation given by this time is:
dashpot in a parallel arrangement as
opposed to a series one. Here, the
extension is equal across both
components, and the total force is split
across the dashpot and spring. where 𝜎1 is the stress in the spring and 𝜎2 is the
According to this model, the dashpot dash-pot stress. Eliminating 𝜎1 𝜎2, the equation of
will only extend to the extension Kelvin Voight Model would be:
produced in the spring. 𝜎 = E𝜀 + 𝜂𝜀
KELVIN MODEL
Creep Recovery Response
If a load 𝜎0 is applied suddenly to the Kelvin model, the spring will want to stretch, but is held back by the
dash-pot, which cannot react immediately. Since the spring does not change length, the stress is initially taken
up by the dash-pot. The creep curve thus starts with an initial slope 𝜎0/𝜂.
When the Kelvin model is unloaded, the spring will want to contract but again the dash pot will hold it
back. The spring will however eventually pull the dash-pot back to its original zero position given time and
full recovery occurs. Suppose the material is unloaded at time t = τ . The constitutive law, with zero stress,
reduces to 0 = E𝜀 + 𝜂𝜀 . The equation given would be:
𝜀 (t) = Ce-(e/N)t
the equation is:
Where:
C = is a constant of integration
t = measured from the point where "zero load" begins. If one wants to measure time from the onset of
load, t must be replaced with t - τ.
KELVIN MODEL
Stress Relaxation
Consider next a stress-relaxation test. Setting the strain to be a constant 𝜀 0 , the constitutive law
reduces to 𝜎 = E 𝜀 0. Thus, the stress is taken up by the spring and is constant, so there is in fact
no stress relaxation over time. Actually, in order that the Kelvin model undergoes an
instantaneous strain of 𝜀 0, an infinite stress needs to be applied, since the dash-pot will not
respond instantaneously to a finite stress.
References:
Adarka et. Al. 2016. Cookbook for Rheological Models – Asphalt Binders retrieved from
[Link]
Dunn. 2019. Introduction to Viscoelasticity in Polymers and its Impact on Rolling Resistance in
Pneumatic Tyres retrieved from [Link]
Kelly. 2015. Rheological Models retrieved from
[Link]
Part_I/10_Viscoelasticity/10_Viscoelasticity_03_Rheological.pdf
Kely. 2015. Viscoelasticity retrieved from
[Link]
Part_I/10_Viscoelasticity/10_Viscoelasticity_Complete.pdf