Viscoelastic damping is becoming widely applied for vibration and noise control in various industries, the most notable examples being aerospace, automotive, computer peripherals and propulsion. A recent review of the literature shows that many engineers are still applying the technology without having a good understanding of the basic underlying principles or the means of describing and measuring the damping parameters.

The comprehensive book introduces simple and effective approaches for describing the damping related properties of viscoelastic materials, with emphasis on the effects of frequency and temperature, and proceeds to illustrate simple techniques for measuring the desired properties and for selecting and applying the materials. In all cases, the need for simplicity in practical applications is emphasized.

Particular topics addressed in some detail include:

• the complex modulus model of viscoelastic behaviour
• effects of frequency and temperature on stiffness and damping of viscoelastic materials
• combination of frequency and temperature into a single variable
• analysis and evaluation of the quality of available test data by means of the Wicket Plot
• simple means of meauring stiffness and damping of viscoelastic materials
• simple approaches for design of treatments for practical structural applications

Practical examples will illustrate the approaches taken. The technical level is as simple as can be achieved without losing clarity, in order that newcomers to the technology can quickly learn the essentials and apply viscoelastic damping in their workplace. This is particularly a handbook for practising eingeers confronted daily by vibration problems, who are nevertheless beginners in the specific area of viscoelastic damping.