ABSTRACT
The determination of the rheological and fracture properties of a material implies the measurement of the relation between its relative deformation (strain) and the stresses acting on it as a function of time. In this chapter, we shall discuss how stress, strain, or strain rate is applied as a function of time, and how the specimen can respond depending on its mechanical properties. The discussion will be limited to shear deformations. The same set of measuring methods discussed below can be distinguished for experiments involving compression or tensile deformations.
