Nonlinear viscoelastic stress analysis—a finite element approach

Abstract

This paper describes a finite element algorithm developed for analysis of nonlinear viscoelastic materials. A single integral constitutive law proposed by Schapery is used to describe viscoelastic material behavior. Work leading to this paper focused on adhesives, but the FE formulation is general and readily extended to structural systems other than plane strain, plane stress and axisymmetric analysis as described. Cartesian strain components are written in terms of current and past stress states. Thus strains are conveniently defined by a stress operator that includes instantaneous compliance and hereditary strain which is updated by recursive computation. Equilibrium at each time step is insured with a modified Newton Raphson technique, incorporating convergence acceleration. Verification analyses show excellent agreement with experimental data for FM-73 adhesive systems. A plane strain analysis of a butt joint is included.