One of the principal objects of theoretical research in any department of knowledge is to find the point of view from which the subject appears in its greatest simplicity. J. Willard Gibbs This book is an outgrowth of lectures I have given, on and off over some sixteen years, in graduate courses at the California Institute of Technology, and, in abbreviated form, elsewhere. It is, nevertheless, not meant to be a textbook. I have aimed at a full exposition of the phenomenological theory of linear viscoelastic behavior for the use of the practicing scientist or engineer as well as the academic teacher or student. The book is thus primarily a reference work. In accord with the motto above, I have chosen to describe the theory of linear viscoelastic behavior through the use of the Laplace transformation. The treatment oflinear time-dependent systems in terms of the Laplace transforms of the relations between the excitation add response variables has by now become commonplace in other fields. With some notable exceptions, it has not been widely used in viscoelasticity. I hope that the reader will find this approach useful.

Viscoelastic behavior reflects the combined viscous and elastic responses, under mechanical stress, of materials which are intermediate between liquids and solids in character. Polymers the basic materials of the rubber and plastic industries and important to the textile, petroleum, automobile, paper, and pharmaceutical industries as well exhibit viscoelasticity to a pronounced degree. Their viscoelastic properties determine the mechanical performance of the final products of these industries, and also the success of processing methods at intermediate stages of production. Viscoelastic Properties of Polymers examines, in detail, the effects of the many variables on which the basic viscoelastic properties depend. These include temperature, pressure, and time; polymer chemical composition, molecular weight and weight distribution, branching and crystallinity; dilution with solvents or plasticizers; and mixture with other materials to form composite systems. With guidance by molecular theory, the dependence of viscoelastic properties on these variables can be simplified by introducing certain ancillary concepts such as the fractional free volume, the monomeric friction coefficient, and the spacing between entanglement loci, to provide a qualitative understanding and in many cases a quantitative prediction of how to achieve desired results. The phenomenological theory of viscoelasticity which permits interrelation of the results of different types of experiments is presented first, with many useful approximation procedures for calculations given. A wide variety of experimental methods is then described, with critical evaluation of their applicability to polymeric materials of different consistencies and in different regions of the time scale (or, for oscillating deformations, the frequency scale). A review of the present state of molecular theory follows, so that viscoelasticity can be related to the motions of flexible polymer molecules and their entanglements and network junctions. The dependence of viscoestic properties on temperature and pressure, and its descriptions using reduced variables, are discussed in detail. Several chapters are then devoted to the dependence of viscoelastic properties on chemical composition, molecular weight, presence of diluents, and other features, for several characteristic classes of polymer materials. Finally, a few examples are given to illustrate the many potential applications of these principles to practical problems in the processing and use of rubbers, plastics, and fibers, and in the control of vibration and noise. The third edition has been brought up to date to reflect the important developments, in a decade of exceptionally active research, which have led to a wider use of polymers, and a wider recognition of the importance and range of application of viscoelastic properties. Additional data have been incorporated, and the book s chapters on dilute solutions, theory of undiluted polymers, plateau and terminal zones, cross-linked polymers, and concentrated solutions have been extensively rewritten to take into account new theories and new experimental results. Technical managers and research workers in the wide range of industries in which polymers play an important role will find that the book provides basic information for practical applications, and graduate students in chemistry and engineering will find, in its illustrations with real data and real numbers, an accessible introduction to the principles of viscoelasticity.

This volume on structural fire resistance is for aerospace, structural, and fire prevention engineers; architects, and educators. It bridges the gap between prescriptive- and performance-based methods and simplifies very complex and comprehensive computer analyses to the point that the structural fire resistance and high temperature creep deformations will have a simple, approximate analytical expression that can be used in structural analysis and design. The book emphasizes methods of the theory of engineering creep (stress-strain diagrams) and mathematical operations quite distinct from those of solid mechanics absent high-temperature creep deformations, in particular the classical theory of elasticity and structural engineering. Dr. Razdolsky’s previous books focused on methods of computing the ultimate structural design load to the different fire scenarios. The current work is devoted to the computing of the estimated ultimate resistance of the structure taking into account the effect of high temperature creep deformations. An essential resource for aerospace structural engineers who wish to improve their understanding of structure exposed to flare up temperatures and severe fires, the book also serves as a textbook for introductory courses in fire safety in civil or structural engineering programs, vital reading for the PhD students in aerospace fire protection and structural engineering, and a case study of a number of high-profile fires (the World Trade Center, Broadgate Phase 8, One Meridian Plaza; Mandarin Towers). Probability Based High Temperature Engineering: Creep and Structural Fire Resistance successfully bridges the information gap between aerospace, structural, and engineers; building inspectors, architects, and code officials.

Functional Pavements is a collection of papers presented at the 6th Chinese-European Workshop (CEW) on Functional Pavement Design (Nanjing, China, October 18-21, 2020). The focus of the CEW series is on field tests, laboratory test methods and advanced analysis techniques, and cover analysis, material development and production, experimental characterization, design and construction of pavements. The main areas covered by the book include: • Asphalt binders for flexible pavements • Asphalt mixture evaluation and performance • Pavement construction and maintenance • Pavement Surface Properties and Vehicle Interaction • Cementitious materials for rigid pavements • Pavement geotechnics and environment Functional Pavements aims at contributing to the establishment of a new generation of pavement design methodologies in which rational mechanics principles, advanced constitutive models and advanced material characterization techniques shall constitute the backbone of the design process. The book will be much of interest to professionals, academics and practitioners in pavement engineering and related disciplines as it should assist them in providing improved road pavement infrastructure to their stakeholders.

Showcasing vital engineering applications to transient and dynamic pertubations of macromolecular materials, structural recovery's role in mechanical responses in the glassy state, and viscoelastic parameters that condition the non-Newtonian behaviour of polymers, this work presents a systematic account of the responses of macromolecular materials

This series of volumes constitutes an outstanding collection of contributions by the most active research workers in the area of acoustics and mechanics. It brings the reader up to date on the status of the various aspects of research in this field. The volumes should preserve their value for a long time, as they represent a monument to the achievements of human research capabilities in the underwater-acoustics aspects of the environment.