1. Dissipation mechanisms and properties

In this paragraph, we consider a system materialized by a viscoelastic sample on which a mass M is suspended, in two possible sample test configurations, namely tension-compression (figure 1 a) and shear (figure 1 b).

A viscoelastic is characterized by high elasticity properties, but, compared to a perfect spring, it has energy dissipation properties.

Assuming the material is non-dissipative, it will behave like an elastic, linear spring. By compressing it (figure 1 a), the stress σ will be proportional to the rate of displacement ε = ΔL/L according to the material's coefficient of rigidity in tension-compression, i.e. Young's modulus,...