WOLFRAM|DEMONSTRATIONS PROJECT

A Contact Element in Rheological Models

When combined with the traditional elastic and viscous elements, the contact element can describe rheological behaviors characterized by delayed activation. The contact element itself is engaged when the displacement reaches a defined level, which activates the elements with which it is connected. This Demonstration plots the force-displacement curves of simple mechanical analogs composed of a spring, dashpot, and contact element to illustrate the operation of the contact element.