UNIVERSITY OF DAR ES SALAAM

DEPARTMENT OF STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING

SD211: CIVIL ENGINEERING MATERIALS I

INTRODUCTION TO
THE STRUCTURE
AND BEHAVIOUR
OF BUILDING MATERIALS
LECTURE No. 7

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1.7.5 Rheological Models
 The various types of deformation which
have been mentioned can be described,
or explained, through model elements
(elementary models) and combinations
thereof.
 The model elements (basic models) and
their combinations are called
Rheological Models.
 Rheology is the science of flow and
deformation of matter, and describes
the interrelationship between force,
deformation and time. 2
 The term ‘rheology’ is derived from the
Greek work ‘RHEOS’, which means ‘to
flow’.
 Rheology is applicable to all materials,
from gases to solids.
 The models are simplified, idealized
mechanical arrangements, the
behaviour of which when loaded can be
expressed in mathematical terms.
 Three basic models are used:
 Hooke’s element (elastic spring)
 St. Venant’s plastic element (friction plane)
 Newton’s viscous element (perforated plunger
in a Newtonian fluid) 3
BASIC RHEOLOGICAL MODELS

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 Hooke’s element is used for ideal
elastic deformations.
 St. Venant’s element is used for
plastic deformations: there is no
movement or strain until a certain
stress is attained which equals the
frictional force on the plane surface.
 Newton’s damper element is a
dashpot filled with a fluid of a certain
viscosity. A perforated plunger can be
pushed in or out of the dashpot at a
speed which is proportional to the
applied load. 5
 Actual materials DO NOT behave
according to any of the idealized
arrangements.
 Appropriate combinations of the
basic models are used to
approximate real deformations
encountered in engineering
practice.

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Elasto-plastic behaviour explained by
combining Hooke’s and St. Venant’s
elements:

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MAXWELL, KELVIN and BURGERS models

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 The Maxwell model:
 Visco-elastic behaviour is explained by
Maxwell’s model, which combines Hooke’s
and Newton’s elements.
 Upon loading, the elastic spring shows
instant deformation while the damper
increases the deformations slowly with time.
 The Maxwell model also offers an explanation
to RELAXATION: If the model is suddenly
loaded, the spring will extend immediately. If
load is removed and the position of plunger
is fixed, the extended spring will slowly
return to its original unloaded position.
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Maxwell model and Relaxation

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The Kelvin model:
 The Kelvin model comprises the
spring and the damper in parallel.
 If a constant load is applied, the
damper will permit only slow
deformation.
 The maximum deformation will be
determined by the spring constant.
 The Kelvin model helps to explain
retarded elasto-viscous behaviour,
such as creep.
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The Burgers model:
 For more accurate description of
complex rheological behaviour, a
more sophisticated element
combination is necessary.
 The Burgers model more accurately
describes creep than the Kelvin
model alone.
 The Burgers model is obtained by
combining the Maxwell and Kelvin
Models in series.
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 A combination of
all three basic
elements in
series will also
explain
relaxation better
than the Maxwell
model alone:

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1.7.6 Stress-independent
deformations
 Stress-independent deformations
may be caused by the following
factors:
 Temperature changes
 Changes in moisture content
 Chemical changes
 Stress-independent deformations
occur only if the deformations are
not resisted.
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Free and resisted stress-independent
deformations

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Thermal expansion/contraction
 Deformations due to changes in
temperature are linearly proportional
to the change of temperature.
 The deformations are fully reversible.
 The deformations can be calculated if
the linear coefficient of thermal
expansion of the material, t, is
known.
 ε = ∆L/L = t x ∆T;
 ∆L = t x ∆t x L 16
Deformations due to changes in
moisture content

 With increasing or decreasing

moisture content, many materials
exhibit swell or shrinkage
respectively.
 These deformations are often fully
reversible.

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 Deformations due to chemical
reactions
 Most chemical reactions cause changes
in volume, which can be expressed as
chemical shrinkage/swell.
 These volume changes are often
irreversible.
 Examples:
 Chemical shrinkage: Water-cement
reaction (hydration of cement)
 Chemical expansion: reaction between
quicklime and water (slaking of lime)
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