A nonlinear Maxwell fluid model consisting of a linear dashpot in series with a parallel arrangement of a linear spring and a second-order nonlinear spring, was developed. This configuration provides the flexibility necessary to describe both the stiffening and the softening responses of some viscoelastic materials. A noteworthy feature of the model is that under constant rate displacement, the force equation can be solved in closed form, thereby providing a continuous, exact general solution.

1.
Lockett, F. J., 1972, Nonlinear Viscoelastic Solids, Academic Press, London.
2.
Forcinito
,
M.
,
Epstein
,
M.
, and
Herzog
,
W.
,
1998
, “
Can a Rheological Muscle Model Predict Force Depression/Enhancement?
J. Biomech.
,
31
, pp.
1093
1099
.
3.
Lakes, R. S., 1999, Viscoelastic Solids, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.
You do not currently have access to this content.