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Viscosity

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Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series ((EESS))

Definition

Properties of deformation and flow of materials under stress.

The science of rheology, concerning the deformation of the ground, has three basic aspects: viscosity, elasticity, and plasticity. Viscosity is discussed here. Elasticity and plasticity are considered in Mechanical Properties.

Viscosity is the resistance to gradual deformation of a medium under shear stress. The viscosity can be independent (“Newtonian” or “ideal-viscous” media) or dependent (“Non-Newtonian” media) on the shear strain-rate and time. Temperature and confining pressure may also be of influence. Gases, fluids, and many ground materials behave viscously and also “hard” rocks which may (seem to) behave viscously over long timespans under high confining stress or temperature.

Ground materials are diverse and may be gases, fluids, or solids (i.e., minerals, grains, and aggregates of grains or minerals or some combination), and any mixture of these and also include man-made ground, such as fills and waste...

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Correspondence to Robert (H. R. G. K.) Hack .

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Hack, R.(. (2018). Viscosity. In: Bobrowsky, P.T., Marker, B. (eds) Encyclopedia of Engineering Geology. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-73568-9_308

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