This book is intended to be of use in a one-semester graduate course on the properties, analysis, and uses of viscoelastic materials. A precursor book, Viscoelastic Solids, has been used as a text in such a course. This book contains many updates, expanded coverage of the materials science of the causes of viscoelastic behavior, and of the properties of materials of biological origin, and applications of viscoelastic materials. The objective is to make the subject accessible and useful to students in a variety of disciplines in engineering and physical science. To that end, the coverage is intentionally broad. For research scientists and engineers or graduate students who pursue the subject via self-study, many references have been included to provide links to the literature. The subject may be profitably studied by undergraduate students, particularly those who are interested in vibration abatement, biomechanics, and the study of materials. Most of the book should be accessible to people who have completed an intermediate or an elementary course on the mechanics of deformable bodies. Exposure to elasticity theory, materials science, and vibration theory is helpful but not necessary.

A development of the theory is presented, including both transient and dynamic aspects, with emphasis on linear viscoelasticity. The structure of the theory is presented with the aim of developing physical insight. Methods for the solution of stress analysis problems in viscoelastic objects are developed and illustrated. Experimental methods for characterization of viscoelastic materials are explored in detail. Viscoelastic phenomena are described for a wide variety of materials, including polymers, metals, ceramics, geological materials, biological materials, synthetic composites, and cellular solids. High-damping alloys and composites are considered as well as materials that resist creep.