Probabilistic interpretation of the linear viscoelasticity (Q1186885)

The linear theory of viscoelasticity proposed by \textit{M. Biot} [Theory of stress-strain relations in anisotropic viscoelasticity and relaxation phenomena, J. Appl. Phys. 25, 1385-1391 (1954)] is considered. The author presents a probabilistic interpretation of viscoelastic phenomena. For a viscoelastic system characterized by one geometrical parameter the response functions coincide with Bernstein functions. The general theory and the special viscoelastic materials of Kelvin-Voigt and Maxwell type are studied.