Viscosity Characterization of PDMS and Its Influence on the Performance of a Torsional Vibration Viscous Damper Under Forced Hydrodynamic Loading

This study presents the experimental and model-based characterization of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) as a damping medium in a torsional vibration viscous damper. Particular emphasis is placed on the influence of the PDMS viscosity on the dynamic response of the damper under variable hydrodynamic loading generated by torsional vibrations of the system and the mass of the inertia ring. Investigations were conducted over a wide range of kinematic viscosities, enabling the identification of damper operating regimes and the assessment of lubricating film stability. The developed mathematical model, based on hydrodynamic lubrication theory, describes the relationships between the PDMS viscosity, the relative angular velocity, and the eccentricity of the inertia ring. Experimental results confirm the model's ability to predict transitions between stable, unstable, and boundary operating modes of the damper. The proposed approach enables the functional, system-level characterization of PDMS under hydrodynamic loading conditions within a torsional vibration damper. In this framework, the rheological properties of PDMS are directly linked to the dynamic response and operational stability of the mechanical system.