ABSTRACT
The mechanical response of viscoelastic materials to mechanical excitation has traditionally been modeled in terms of elastic and viscous components such as springs and dashpots (1-3). The corresponding theory is analogous to the electric circuit theory, which is extensively described in engineering textbooks. In many respects the use of mechanical models plays a didactic role in interpreting the viscoelasticity of materials in the simplest cases. However, it must be emphasized that the representation of the viscoelastic behavior in terms of springs and dashpots does not imply that these elements reflect the molecular mechanisms causing the actual relaxation
behavior of complex materials. Moreover, there are a multiplicity of models, nearly all equivalent, to represent the same viscoelastic behavior.
