Analysis of simple constitutive equations for viscoelastic liquids (Q1191009)

The behavior of general Maxwell-like constitutive equations is analyzed. The total set of the constitutive equations includes the evolution equations for the `` configuration tensor'' \(c\) and an expression for the stress tensor through the tensor \(c\). Several problems are considered. (i) It is shown that the general form for these equations derived recently from the Poisson-bracket formalism, is more easily obtained by using a local approach of irreversible thermodynamics for both compressible and incompressible cases. (ii) The problem of Hadamard stability for these constitutive equations is then studied by using the method of ``frozen coefficients''. (iii) It is shown that the configuration tensor \(c\) is positive definite for any piecewise smooth strain history. (iv) The results are applied to some viscoelastic constitutive equations proposed in the literature. (v) The importance of \(\det c\) in the formulations of the constitutive equations and the relations between the instabilities in rheological equations and instabilities observed in flows of polymer liquids are then discussed.