Dashpots

A spring and dashpot in series is called a Maxwell model. 

Alternatively, if the spring and dashpot are connected in parallel, the following holds ... 

Suppose we consider a spring and dashpot connected in series as shown in Fig. 3. 7a such an arrangement is called a Maxwell element. The spring displays a Hookean elastic response and is characterized by a modulus G. The dashpot displays Newtonian behavior with a viscosity 77. These parameters (superscript ) characterize the model whether they have any relationship to the... 

Figure 3.7 Maxwell models consisting of a spring and dashpot in series (a) single unit and (b) set of units arranged in parallel.

The Maxwell and Voigt models of the last two sections have been investigated in all sorts of combinations. For our purposes, it is sufficient that they provide us with a way of thinking about relaxation and creep experiments. Probably one of the reasons that the various combinations of springs and dash-pots have been so popular as a way of representing viscoelastic phenomena is the fact that simple and direct comparison is possible between mechanical and electrical networks, as shown in Table 3.3. In this parallel, the compliance of a spring is equivalent to the capacitance of a condenser and the viscosity of a dashpot is equivalent to the resistance of a resistor. The analogy is complete... 

Through the dashpot a viscous contribution was present in both the Maxwell and Voigt models and is essential to the entire picture of viscoelasticity. These have been the viscosities of mechanical units which produce equivalent behavior to that shown by polymers. While they help us understand and describe observed behavior, they do not give us the actual viscosity of the material itself. 

We observed above that the Rouse expression for the shear modulus is the same function as that written for a set of Maxwell elements, except that the summations are over all modes of vibration and the parameters are characteristic of the polymers and not springs and dashpots. Table 3.5 shows that this parallel extends throughout the moduli and compliances that we have discussed in this chapter. In Table 3.5 we observe the following ... 

The resistance to plastic flow can be schematically illustrated by dashpots with characteristic viscosities. The resistance to deformations within the elastic regions can be characterized by elastic springs and spring force constants. In real fibers, in contrast to ideal fibers, the mechanical behavior is best characterized by simultaneous elastic and plastic deformations. Materials that undergo simultaneous elastic and plastic effects are said to be viscoelastic. Several models describing viscoelasticity in terms of springs and dashpots in various series and parallel combinations have been proposed. The concepts of elasticity, plasticity, and viscoelasticity have been the subjects of several excellent reviews (21,22). 

Closure at the instant of reversal of flow is most nearly attained in these valves. This timing of closure is not the whole solution to noise and shock at check valves. For example, if cessation of pressure at the inlet of a valve produces flashing of the decelerating stream downstream from the valve or if stoppage of flow is caused By a sudden closure of a valve some distance downstream from the check valve and the stoppage is followed by returning water hammer, slower closure may be necessary. For these applications, tilting-disk check valves are equipped with external dashpots. They are also available with low-cost insert Dodies. 

Isochronous governor is a floating-action governor that controls for constant speed. It is equipped with a dashpot or buffer to give momentary regulation for a speed-input change. 

Demonstration Fit up a dashpot and spring model (Fig. 19.8) and hang it from a support. Hang a weight on the lower end of the combination and, using a ruler to measure extension, plot the creep out on the blackboard. Remove weight and plot out the reverse creep. 

The fluids are also used in shock absorbers, hydraulic fluids, dashpots and other damping systems designed for high-temperature operation. 

A damping element (sometimes ealled a dashpot) is assumed to produee a veloeity proportional to the foree (or torque) applied to it. 

Over the years there have been many attempts to simulate the behaviour of viscoelastic materials. This has been aimed at (i) facilitating analysis of the behaviour of plastic products, (ii) assisting with extrapolation and interpolation of experimental data and (iii) reducing the need for extensive, time-consuming creep tests. The most successful of the mathematical models have been based on spring and dashpot elements to represent, respectively, the elastic and viscous responses of plastic materials. Although there are no discrete molecular structures which behave like the individual elements of the models, nevertheless... 

The Maxwell Model consists of a spring and dashpot in series at shown in Fig. 2.34. This model may be analysed as follows. 

The dashpot is the viscous component of the response and in this case the stress (72 is proportional to the rate of strain f2> ie... 

In this model the spring and dashpot elements are connected in parallel as shown in Fig. 2.36. 

For equilibrium of forces it can be seen that the applied load is supported jointly by the spring and the dashpot, so... 

This indicates an exponential increase in strain from zero up to the value, (To/, that the spring would have reached if the dashpot had not been present. This is shown in Fig. 2.37. As for the Maxwell Model, the creep modulus may be determined as... 

The dashpot constant, t i, for the Maxwell element is obtained from the slope of the creep curve in the steady state region (see equation (2.32)). 

The dashpot constant, rj2, for the Kelvin-Voigt element may be determined by selecting a time and corresponding strain from the creep curve in a region where the retarded elasticity dominates (i.e. the knee of the curve in Fig. 2.40) and substituting into equation (2.42). If this is done then r)2 = 3.7 X 10 MN.s/m ... 

Example 2.13 A plastic which can have its creep behaviour described by a Maxwell model is to be subjected to the stress history shown in Fig. 2.43(a). If the spring and dashpot constants for this model are 20 GN/m and 1000 GNs/m respectively then predict the strains in the material after 150 seconds, 250 seconds, 350 seconds and 450 seconds. 

The viscoelastic behaviour of a certain plastic is to be represented by spring and dashpot elements having constants of 2 GN/m and 90 GNs/m respectively. If a stress of 12 MN/m is applied for 100 seconds and then completely removed, compare the values of strain predicted by the Maxwell and Kelvin-Voigt models after (a) 50 seconds (b) 150 seconds. 

A plastic which behaves like a Kelvin-Voigt model is subjected to the stress history shown in Fig. 2.87. Use the Boltzmanns Superposition Principle to calculate the strain in the material after (a) 90 seconds (b) 150 seconds. The spring constant is 12 GN/m and the dashpot constant is 360 GNs/m. ... 

The Maxwell model is also called Maxwell fluid model. Briefly it is a mechanical model for simple linear viscoelastic behavior that consists of a spring of Young s modulus (E) in series with a dashpot of coefficient of viscosity (ji). It is an isostress model (with stress 5), the strain (f) being the sum of the individual strains in the spring and dashpot. This leads to a differential representation of linear viscoelasticity as d /dt = (l/E)d5/dt + (5/Jl)-This model is useful for the representation of stress relaxation and creep with Newtonian flow analysis. 

When a load is applied to the system, shown diagrammatically, the spring will deform to a certain degree. The dashpot will first remain stationary under the applied load, but if the same load continues to be applied, the viscous fluid in the dashpot will slowly leak past the piston, causing the dashpot to move. Its movement corresponds to the strain or deformation of the plastic material. 

Because of the assumption that linear relations exist between shear stress and shear rate (equation 3.4) and between distortion and stress (equation 3.128), both of these models, namely the Maxwell and Voigt models, and all other such models involving combinations of springs and dashpots, are restricted to small strains and small strain rates. Accordingly, the equations describing these models are known as line viscoelastic equations. Several theoretical and semi-theoretical approaches are available to account for non-linear viscoelastic effects, and reference should be made to specialist works 14-16 for further details. 

In order to model viscoelasticity mathematically, a material can be considered as though it were made up of springs, which obey Hooke s law, and dashpots filled with a perfectly Newtonian liquid. Newtonian liquids are those which deform at a rate proportional to the applied stress and inversely proportional to the viscosity, rj, of the liquid. There are then a number of ways of arranging these springs and dashpots and hence of altering the... 

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