viscoelastic models

Viscoelastic models describe materials that have both elastic and viscous properties. Elastic behavior means they can stretch or deform and return to their original shape, like a spring. Viscous behavior means they flow or gradually change shape under sustained force, like honey. These models combine both responses to predict how materials like polymers, biological tissues, or glasses react under different forces and over time. By understanding viscoelasticity, engineers and scientists can better design and analyze materials that experience both immediate elastic deformation and time-dependent flow or relaxation.