Non-Linearities in Dynamic Tests II. Impact and Rolling Wheel Tests
Abstract Viscoelastic properties of rubberlike materials are currently studied by a number of methods: vibration methods involving a single degree of freedom system, measurement of the stress-strain curves under cyclic application of deflection, impact tests and tests using rolling wheels. The effect of non-linearities on the motion of a single degree of freedom system is discussed in detail in Reference 1 and it is concluded that the analysis employed must not contain an arbitrarily assumed equation of motion nor an arbitrary stress-strain relationship if the objective of the tests is to determine the true character of the viscoelastic properties and to relate these to the molecular properties of the material. The character of the viscoelastic properties must be derived from experiment by methods free from inbuilt mathematical assumptions and it is shown that phase plane analysis can be adapted for that purpose. It is also noted in Reference 1 that measurement of the stress-strain properties during cyclic application of deflection is free from inbuilt mathematical assumptions. The question which is examined in this related paper is whether the study of impact tests and rolling wheels using energy methods is subject to similar and/or other necessary conditions.