The mechanical properties of biomaterials need to be known and standardised before design, construction
and testing of processing and handling machinery can be undertaken. Since experiments in the past have
proved the viscoelastic nature of biomaterials, it is necessary to characterize them in order to ascertain their
response to handling and processing. For engineering materials, the application of the theory of viscoelasticity
is now quite well known,. but this is not the case for biomaterials. In the characterization of biomaterials
it will be necessary to modify the basic theory in the context of the bio-effects. The theoretical considerations
are discussed in this study. The various bio-engineering terms are defined and viscoelastic representation with
particular emphasis on bio-creep and relaxation is described.
An attempt is made to show analogy with the mechanical models and their generalization. Barreleffect
for viscoelastic materials of bio-origin is outlined. The shift-factors and their significance as a material
property are also included
