Fractal Media and Fractional Viscoelasticity

An introductory discussion on a (weakly non-local) gradient generalization of some one-dimensional elastic and viscoelastic models, and their fractional extension is provided. Emphasis is placed on the possible implications of micro- and nano- engineering problems, including small-scale structural mechanics and composite materials, as well as collagen biomechanics and nanomaterials. Full article

An investigation of transient second sound phenomena due to moving heat sources on planar random media is conducted. The spatial material randomness of the relaxation time is modeled by Cauchy or Dagum random fields allowing for decoupling of fractal and Hurst effects. The Maxwell–Cattaneo model is solved by a second-order central differencing. The resulting stochastic fluctuations of Mach wedges are examined and compared to unperturbed Mach wedges resulting from the heat source traveling in a homogeneous domain. All the examined cases are illustrated by simulation movies linked to this paper. Full article

We introduce a data-driven fractional modeling framework for complex materials, and particularly bio-tissues. From multi-step relaxation experiments of distinct anatomical locations of porcine urinary bladder, we identify an anomalous relaxation character, with two power-law-like behaviors for short/long long times, and nonlinearity for strains greater than $25\%$. The first component of our framework is an existence study, to determine admissible fractional viscoelastic models that qualitatively describe linear relaxation. After the linear viscoelastic model is selected, the second stage adds large-strain effects to the framework through a fractional quasi-linear viscoelastic approach for the nonlinear elastic response of the bio-tissue of interest. From single-step relaxation data of the urinary bladder, a fractional Maxwell model captures both short/long-term behaviors with two fractional orders, being the most suitable model for small strains at the first stage. For the second stage, multi-step relaxation data under large strains were employed to calibrate a four-parameter fractional quasi-linear viscoelastic model, that combines a Scott-Blair relaxation function and an exponential instantaneous stress response, to describe the elastin/collagen phases of bladder rheology. Our obtained results demonstrate that the employed fractional quasi-linear model, with a single fractional order in the range $\alpha$ = 0.25–0.30, is suitable for the porcine urinary bladder, producing errors below $2\%$ without need for recalibration over subsequent applied strains. We conclude that fractional models are attractive tools to capture the bladder tissue behavior under small-to-large strains and multiple time scales, therefore being potential alternatives to describe multiple stages of bladder functionality. Full article

In this paper, electrochemical impedance responses of subdiffusive phase transition materials are calculated and analyzed for one-dimensional cell with reflecting and absorbing boundary conditions. The description is based on the generalization of the diffusive Warburg impedance within the fractional phase field approach utilizing the time-fractional Cahn–Hilliard equation. The driving force in the model is the chemical potential of ions, that is described in terms of the phase field allowing us to avoid additional calculation of the activity coefficient. The derived impedance spectra are applied to describe the response of supercapacitors with polyaniline/carbon nanotube electrodes. Full article

In this paper, we use ideas from fractional calculus to study the rheological response of soft materials under steady-shearing flow conditions. The linear viscoelastic properties of many multi-scale complex fluids exhibit a power-law behavior that spans over many orders of magnitude in time or frequency, and we can accurately describe this linear viscoelastic rheology using fractional constitutive models. By measuring the non-linear response during large step strain deformations, we also demonstrate that this class of soft materials often follows a time-strain separability principle, which enables us to characterize their nonlinear response through an experimentally determined damping function. To model the nonlinear response of these materials, we incorporate the damping function with the integral formulation of a fractional viscoelastic constitutive model and develop an analytical framework that enables the calculation of material properties such as the rate-dependent shear viscosity measured in steady-state shearing flows. We focus on a general subclass of fractional constitutive equations, known as the Fractional Maxwell Model, and consider several different analytical forms for the damping function. Through analytical and computational evaluations of the shear viscosity, we show that for sufficiently strong damping functions, for example, an exponential decay of fluid memory with strain, the observed shear-thinning behavior follows a power-law response with exponents that are set by the power-law indices of the linear fractional model. For weak damping functions, however, the power-law index of the high shear rate viscosity is set by the terminal behavior of the damping function itself at large strains. In the limit of a very weak damping function, the theoretical formulation predicts an unbounded growth of the shear stress with time and a continuously growing transient viscosity function that does not converge to a meaningful steady-state value. By determining the leading terms in our analytical solution for the viscosity at both low and high shear rates, we construct an approximate analytic expression for the rate-dependent viscosity. An error analysis shows that, for each of the damping functions considered, this closed-form expression is accurate over a wide range of shear rates. Full article

We considered relaxation, creep, dissipation, and hysteresis resulting from a six-parameter fractional constitutive model and its particular cases. The storage modulus, loss modulus, and loss factor, as well as their characteristics based on the thermodynamic requirements, were investigated. It was proved that for the fractional Maxwell model, the storage modulus increases monotonically, while the loss modulus has symmetrical peaks for its curve against the logarithmic scale $log\left(\omega \right)$, and for the fractional Zener model, the storage modulus monotonically increases while the loss modulus and the loss factor have symmetrical peaks for their curves against the logarithmic scale $log\left(\omega \right)$. The peak values and corresponding stationary points were analytically given. The relaxation modulus and the creep compliance for the six-parameter fractional constitutive model were given in terms of the Mittag–Leffler functions. Finally, the stress–strain hysteresis loops were simulated by making use of the derived creep compliance for the fractional Zener model. These results show that the fractional constitutive models could characterize the relaxation, creep, dissipation, and hysteresis phenomena of viscoelastic bodies, and fractional orders $\alpha$ and $\beta$ could be used to model real-world physical properties well. Full article