Stress analysis in viscoelastic bodies using finite elements and a correspondence rule with elasticity

Abstract

It is shown how the finite-element displacement method of analysis using an elastic analogy may be applied to problems in plane stress where the material is viscoelastic. The method allows material non-homogeneity to be taken into account, as it might need to be in some thermo-viscoelastic problems. Some numerical results are given, based on the Maxwell body, and these are supported by a short-time creep experiment on a sheet of perspex. The distribution of stress is found to change slightly during this period of time.