The use of optimization techniques for definition of the thermomechanical behavior characteristics of vitrifying polymers

The problem of determining the thermomechanical properties of polymers is considered. The methodology supposed solution to the optimization problem. As the criterion function is selected the sum of squared deviations of the calculated stresses from the known experimental values. Restrictions formulated as a quasi-static boundary value problem of thermoviscoelasticity which solution is spent by the method of finite elements. The criterion function minimization is carried out by the Nelder-Mead method. The uniqueness of the solutions is checked by the descent of several initial approximations.