Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2021 / iii / Paper 352 / 2 / b / Solution

Setting $\alpha =0$ gives the Upper-convected Maxwell modelIn steady incompressible uniaxial extension of rate $\dot{ϵ}$, its tensile and transverse stresses giveThe extensional viscosity rises above the Trouton ratio value $3\eta$ and diverges at $\lambda \dot{ϵ}=1/2$, the ideal model's extensional catastrophe. An extensional rheometer can locate that rapid growth and estimate $\lambda \simeq 1/(2{\dot{ϵ}}_c)$. More robustly, impose a small deformation, stop the flow, and fit the exponential stress decay $\tau \propto e^{-t/\lambda }$.