The HWKK rheological model for resins

A rheological model for epoxy and polyester resins, denoted with the symbol HWKK, has been developed and positively validated for selected loading programmes. This model describes the first-rank reversible creep of amorphous thermohardened polymers with good accuracy. The mechanical HWKK model consists of four elements connected in series, formulated by Hooke, Wilczyński and Kelvin. Constitutive equations of viscoelasticity for the HWKK model have been formulated, with fractional and normal exponential functions used as the generating ones. An algorithm for identification of the material constants, based on creep experiments of bar samples uniaxially tensioned, has been developed. The material constants have been identified for epoxy and polyester resins.