50 Years of the K-BKZ Constitutive Relation for Polymers

Abstract

The K-BKZ constitutive model is now 50 years old. The paper reviews the connections of the model and its variants with continuum mechanics and experiment, presenting an up-to-date recap of research and major findings in the open literature. In the Introduction a historical perspective is given on developments in the last 50 years of the K-BKZ model. Then a section follows on mathematical modeling of polymer flows, including governing equations of flow, rheological constitutive equations (with emphasis on viscoelastic integral constitutive equations of the K-BKZ type), dimensionless numbers, and boundary conditions. The Method of Solution section reviews the major developments of techniques necessary for particle tracking and calculation of the integrals for the viscoelastic stresses in flow problems. Finally, selected examples are given of successful application of the K-BKZ model in polymer flows relevant to rheology.