A fractional-order Maxwell model is used to describe the viscoelastic seabed mud. The experimental data of the real mud well fit the results of the fractional-order Maxwell model that has fewer parameters than the traditional model. The model is then used to investigate the effect of the mud on the surface-wave damping. The damping rate of a linear monochromatic wave is obtained. The elastic resonance of the mud layer is observed, which leads to the peaks in the damping rate. The damping rate is a sum of the modal damping rates, which indicates the wave damping induced by the mud motion of particular modes. The analysis shows that near the resonance, the total damping rate is dominated by the damping rate of the corresponding mode.
The study of generalized Jeffreys and generalized Oldroyd-B fluids with fractional derivatives has made rapid progress as an example of applications of fractional calculus in theology. However, their thermodynamic compatibility and mechanical ana- logue have not yet been properly considered. In the present study, by discussing both these issues, we find that the two orders of fractional derivatives in the constitutive equation of the generalized Jeffreys fluid must be the same in order to ensure that the equation is physically correct. Based on this generalized Jeffreys fluid, a thermodynamically compatible generalized Oldryd-B fluid is also proposed by the convected coordinates approach.
It is known that there exist obivious differences between the two most commonly used definitions of fractional derivatives-Riemann-Liouville （R-L） definition and Caputo definition. The multiple definitions of fractional derivatives in fractional calculus have hindered the application of fractional calculus in rheology. In this paper, we clarify that the R-L definition and Caputo definition are both rheologically imperfect with the help of mechanical analogues of the fractional element model （Scott-Blair model）. We also clarify that to make them perfect rheologically, the lower terminals of both definitions should be put to ∞. We further prove that the R-L definition with lower terminal a →∞ and the Caputo definition with lower terminal a →∞ are equivalent in the differentiation of functions that are smooth enough and functions that have finite number of singular points. Thus we can define the fractional derivatives in rheology as the R-L derivatives with lower terminal a →∞ （or, equivalently, the Caputo derivatives with lower terminal a →∞） not only for steady-state processes, but also for transient processes. Based on the above definition, the problems of composition rules of fractional operators and the initial conditions for fractional differential equations are discussed, respectively. As an example we study a fractional oscillator with Scott-Blair model and give an exact solution of this equation under given initial conditions.
