A Linear Compressibility Assumption for the Multiple Integral Representation of Nonlinear Creep of Polyurethane

Abstract

The assumption that volume changes associated with creep of a nonlinear viscoelastic material are only linearly dependent on the stress history is incorporated into a third-order multiple integral representation. This assumption reduces the number of independent kernel functions in the representation from 12 to 7. The traces of these independent kernels may be determined from two tension, two torsion, and one combined tension and torsion creep tests. Experiments on polyurethane are well represented by this method. The time-dependence of the kernel functions is expressed by time raised to a power with the power differing for different-order kernel functions.