scholarly journals Finite Element Implementation of Mechanochemical Phenomena in Neutral Deformable Porous Media Under Finite Deformation

2011 ◽  
Vol 133 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerard A. Ateshian ◽  
Michael B. Albro ◽  
Steve Maas ◽  
Jeffrey A. Weiss
Keyword(s):  
Finite Element ◽  
Porous Media ◽  
Finite Deformation ◽  
Biological Tissues ◽  
Solid Matrix ◽  
Element Formulation ◽  
Momentum Exchange ◽  
Deformable Porous Media ◽  
Chemical Effects ◽  
Highly Nonlinear

Biological soft tissues and cells may be subjected to mechanical as well as chemical (osmotic) loading under their natural physiological environment or various experimental conditions. The interaction of mechanical and chemical effects may be very significant under some of these conditions, yet the highly nonlinear nature of the set of governing equations describing these mechanisms poses a challenge for the modeling of such phenomena. This study formulated and implemented a finite element algorithm for analyzing mechanochemical events in neutral deformable porous media under finite deformation. The algorithm employed the framework of mixture theory to model the porous permeable solid matrix and interstitial fluid, where the fluid consists of a mixture of solvent and solute. A special emphasis was placed on solute-solid matrix interactions, such as solute exclusion from a fraction of the matrix pore space (solubility) and frictional momentum exchange that produces solute hindrance and pumping under certain dynamic loading conditions. The finite element formulation implemented full coupling of mechanical and chemical effects, providing a framework where material properties and response functions may depend on solid matrix strain as well as solute concentration. The implementation was validated using selected canonical problems for which analytical or alternative numerical solutions exist. This finite element code includes a number of unique features that enhance the modeling of mechanochemical phenomena in biological tissues. The code is available in the public domain, open source finite element program FEBio (http://mrl.sci.utah.edu/software).

Finite Element Implementation of Neutral Solute Transport in Porous Biological Soft Tissues Under Finite Deformation

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerard A. Ateshian ◽  
Michael B. Albro ◽  
Steve Maas ◽  
Jeffrey A. Weiss
Keyword(s):  
Finite Element ◽  
Transport Properties ◽  
Finite Deformation ◽  
Pore Volume ◽  
Soft Tissues ◽  
Biological Tissues ◽  
Solute Concentration ◽  
Porous Solid ◽  
Solid Matrix ◽  
Waste Products

The physiological function of biological tissues and cells is critically dependent on the transport of various solutes, such as nutrients, cytokines, hormones, and waste products. Transport in such media may be significantly hindered by the porous solid matrix, which may impart anisotropic transport properties to the solutes. Furthermore, large deformations of soft tissues and cells may significantly alter these transport properties due to concomitant alterations in pore volume and structure. Another potential influence of the porous solid matrix is steric volume exclusion resulting from the ratio of solute size and pore size distribution. This steric effect implies that solute concentration inside a tissue or cell may be less than the concentration in a surrounding bath, and this limit on solubility may be exacerbated under finite deformation due to changes in pore volume. Finally, the osmotic pressurization of the interstitial fluid may deviate from ideal physico-chemical behavior and this deviation may be dependent on the state of strain in the solid matrix. Therefore, a finite element framework that can accommodate solid-solute momentum exchanges, strain-induced anisotropy in transport properties and solubility, and strain-dependent non-ideal osmotic response, can provide an important modeling tool in the biomechanics of soft tissues and cells.

scholarly journals On the Stream Function-Vorticity Finite Element Formulation for Incompressible Flow in Porous Media

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Abdellatif Agouzal ◽  
Karam Allali ◽  
Siham Binna
Keyword(s):  
Finite Element ◽  
Porous Media ◽  
Stream Function ◽  
Incompressible Flow ◽  
Equations Of Motion ◽  
Finite Element Formulation ◽  
Flow In Porous Media ◽  
Darcy Law ◽  
Element Formulation ◽  
Discrete Problem

Stream function-vorticity finite element formulation for incompressible flow in porous media is presented. The model consists of the heat equation, the equation for the concentration, and the equations of motion under the Darcy law. The existence of solution for the discrete problem is established. Optimal a priori error estimates are given.

Finite Element Implementation of a Planar Soft Tissue Structural Constitutive Model for Heart Valve Simulations

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rong Fan ◽  
Michael S. Sacks
Keyword(s):  
Finite Element ◽  
Constitutive Model ◽  
Soft Tissues ◽  
Structural Model ◽  
Mechanical Response ◽  
Biological Tissues ◽  
Biaxial Test ◽  
Tissue Microstructure ◽  
Highly Nonlinear ◽  
Insight Into

Constitutive modeling is critical for numerical simulation and analysis of soft biological tissues. The highly nonlinear and anisotropic mechanical behaviors of soft tissues are typically due to the interaction of tissue microstructure. By incorporating information of fiber orientation and distribution at tissue microscopic scale, the structural model avoids ambiguities in material characterization. Moreover, structural models produce much more information than just simple stress-strain results, but can provide much insight into how soft tissues internally reorganize to external loads by adjusting their internal microstructure. It is only through simulation of an entire organ system can such information be derived and provide insight into physiological function. However, accurate implementation and rigorous validation of these models remains very limited. In the present study we implemented a structural constitutive model into a commercial finite element package for planar soft tissues. The structural model was applied to simulate strip biaxial test for native bovine pericardium, and a single pulmonary valve leaflet deformation. In addition to prediction of the mechanical response, we demonstrate how a structural model can provide deeper insights into fiber deformation fiber reorientation and fiber recruitment.

Computational Techniques for Stabilized Edge-Based Finite Element Simulation of Free-Surface Flows

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Renato N. Elias ◽  
Milton A. Gonc¸alves ◽  
Alvaro L. G. A. Coutinho ◽  
Paulo T. T. Esperanc¸a ◽  
Marcos A. D. Martins ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Finite Element ◽  
Free Surface ◽  
Free Surface Flows ◽  
Computational Techniques ◽  
Element Formulation ◽  
Normal Velocity ◽  
Parallel Edge ◽  
Surface Flows ◽  
Highly Nonlinear ◽  
Edge Based

Free-surface flows occur in several problems in hydrodynamics, such as fuel or water sloshing in tanks, waves breaking in ships, offshore platforms, harbors and coastal areas. The computation of such highly nonlinear flows is challenging since free-surfaces commonly present merging, fragmentation and breaking parts, leading to the use of interface capturing Eulerian approaches. In such methods the surface between two fluids is captured by the use of a marking function which is transported in a flow field. In this work we discuss computational techniques for efficient implementation of 3D incompressible SUPG/PSPG finite element methods to cope with free-surface problems with the Volume-of-Fluid (VOF) method [1]. The pure advection equation for the scalar marking function was solved by a fully implicit parallel edge-based SUPG finite element formulation. Global mass conservation is enforced adding or removing mass proportionally to the absolute value of the normal velocity of the interface. We introduce parallel edge-based data structures, a parallel dynamic deactivation algorithm to solve the marking function equation only in a small region around the interface. The implementation is targeted to distributed memory systems with cache-based processors. The performance and accuracy of the proposed solution method is tested in the simulation of the water impact on a square cylinder and in the propagation of a solitary wave.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document