Yazyev B.M.

Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor of Construction Mechanics and Theory of Structures Department, Don State Technical University

A refined method for determining rheological parameters of the maxwell-gurevich equation from polymer relaxation curves using the example of epoxy resin edt-10

https://doi.org/10.58224/2618-7183-2026-9-3-5
Abstract
This paper presents a refined methodology for determining the rheological parameters of the nonlinear generalized Maxwell-Gurevich equation, which is widely used to describe creep and relaxation processes in polymer materials. Despite the extensive application of this constitutive model in polymer mechanics, existing methods for identifying its key parameters – namely the high-elasticity modulus E∞, the rate modulus mcr, and the initial relaxation viscosity ηcr,0 – often yield approximate values that do not fully capture the material's behavior across different deformation levels. The proposed approach addresses this limitation through a comprehensive two-stage algorithm based on the processing of stress relaxation curves at various initial strain levels. In the first stage, preliminary parameter values are obtained using an analytical approximation method that involves polynomial fitting of creep strain data and logarithmic transformation of the relaxation viscosity coefficient. The second stage employs numerical optimization techniques implemented in the Python programming language, specifically the scipy.optimize.fmin function for global minimum search, combined with the fourth-order Runge–Kutta method for solving the differential equation of creep strain rate. The methodology was validated using experimental data for EDT-10 epoxy resin – a thermosetting polymer widely employed in structural applications – tested at 20°C under six different initial relative deformations ranging from 0.008 to 0.035. The relaxation curves were digitized from classical literature sources and processed according to the developed algorithm. The results demonstrate that the rheological parameters of the Maxwell-Gurevich equation exhibit significant dependence on the initial strain (stress) level, contrary to the common assumption of their constancy for a given temperature. Specifically, the high-elasticity modulus E∞ decreases nonlinearly from 19142.71 MPa to 2643.07 MPa as the initial deformation increases, while the rate modulus mcr shows an increasing trend from 3.58 MPa to 22.48 MPa. The initial relaxation viscosity ηcr,0 decreases by approximately two orders of magnitude, from 8.14•10⁵ MPa•h to 1.33•10⁴ MPa•h. Functional relationships approximating these dependencies as functions of the initial elastic strain were established with high correlation coefficients (R² ranging from 0.9776 to 0.9988 for individual curves). A comparative analysis was conducted with three previously published parameter sets for EDT-10 epoxy resin. The comparison reveals that traditional constant-parameter approaches significantly underestimate the high-elasticity modulus and lead to excessively rapid stress relaxation, particularly at higher initial strain levels (>0.0155), where the solution degenerates. In contrast, the proposed strain-dependent parameterization yields theoretical relaxation curves that closely match the experimental data across the entire range of deformations, with coefficients of determination R² exceeding 0.97 for all curves except the lowest strain level (0.008), where digitization errors are more pronounced. The methodology demonstrates robustness and can be extended to other polymer materials and loading conditions, including creep tests where the stress remains constant. The findings have important implications for the mechanics of polymer structures, adhesive joints, and composite materials, where accurate prediction of long-term deformation behavior under various stress states is essential for reliable design and service life assessment. Future research directions include validation of the proposed hypothesis for creep curves and investigation of temperature-dependent parameter variations.
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Study of the concordance between various concrete deformation models and experimental data for uniaxial compression cases

https://doi.org/10.58224/2618-7183-2024-7-5-6
Abstract
There are various equations describing concrete stress-strain curves, each yielding different theoretical curves. An important scientific question is achieving the best correspondence to experimental data. The Geniyev theory inherently includes equations for three components of stress and strain. In contrast, the Eurocode and the Russian Building Code equations are provided for uniaxial stress conditions. This paper presents a comparison of theoretical curves for uniaxial compression based on Eurocode equations, the Russian Building Code, and Geniyev theory with experimental results from tests on prism and cube samples. The analysis includes deviations of the maximum stress points of theoretical curves from the corresponding experimental data. Numerical analysis is provided for both stresses and strains. A distinguishing feature of this work compared to existing research on Geniyev theory equations is that they are presented in a resolute form, incorporating three parameters: concrete compressive strength, tensile strength, and the initial modulus of elasticity.
The importance of using secondary resources on the basis of industrial waste is understood by both governments of developed countries and business (production of Portland cement using ground metallurgical slag as a mineral additive at Novotroitsk, Magnitogorsk, Sterlitamak, Katav-Ivanovsk and other plants in the South Urals). The use of secondary raw materials requires the creation of technological infrastructure for processing of secondary raw materials, the costs of which can be quickly recouped due to the cheapness and availability of industrial secondary raw materials and freeing the territory from environmental pollution. In order to recoup the costs of the infrastructure, it is necessary to guarantee full compliance of the quality of pavement elements with the requirements of GOST R 59120-2021. Secondary raw materials have a great variety and laboratory analysis of the quality of pavement elements is required in order to design compositions with the best quality, satisfying all regulatory requirements. In our work the authors present the results of laboratory research and evaluation of the possibility of using clinker-free lime-slag binder based on the mineral product of soda production and metallurgical slags to strengthen and stabilize soils for their use in pavement structures in the construction of roads for various purposes and climatic zones.
It is experimentally shown that the addition of lime-slag binder in the amount of 8-10% of the dry weight of both cohesive (loamy soil, loamy sand) and non-cohesive (fine sand) soil allows to obtain reinforced soil with improved strength and elastic-deformative characteristics, which can be used instead of scarce natural crushed stone and gravel in the construction of underlying layers of pavements in the construction and reconstruction of highways. This technology can be used not only in the Russian Federation, but also in a number of other countries, including those with hot dry climates (e.g., the Republic of Egypt).
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