Implementation of Viscoelastic Behavior in a Time Domain Boundary Element Formulation

The boundary element method (BEM) provides a powerful tool for the calculation of elastodynamic response in frequency and time domain. Field equations of motion and boundary conditions are cast into integral equations, which are discretized only at the boundary. The boundary data often are of primary interest because they govern the transfer dynamics of members and the energy radiation into a surrounding medium. Formulations of BEM currently include conventional viscoelastic constitutive equations in the frequency domain. In the present paper viscoelastic behaviour is implemented in a time domain approach as well. The constitutive equations are generalized by taking fractional order time derivatives into account.