Bernard D. Coleman
Rutgers University
Department of Mechanics and Materials Science
A summary will be given of the status of the theories of wave propagation and viscoelastic materials at the time that Morton Gurtin and the speaker undertook their joint investigation into the properties of propagating singular surfaces (i.e., acceleration waves and shock waves) in non-linear materials with gradually fading memory. The emphasis will be laid on the way Mort's research and suggestions influenced subsequent research on the general theory of materials with fading memory.