A truss element for modelling reversible softening in living tissues

Author (s): Muñoz, J.J.; Conte, V.; Asadipour, N.; and Miodownik, M.
Journal: Mechanics Research Communications

Volume: 49
Pages: 44 – 49
Date: 2013

Abstract:
We resort to non-linear viscoelasticity to develop a truss element able to model reversible softening in lung epithelial tissues undergoing transient stretch. Such a Maxwell truss element is built by resorting to a three-noded element whose mid-node is kinematically constrained to remain on the line connecting the end-nodes. The whole mechanical system undergoes an additive decomposition of the strains along the truss direction where the total contribution of the mid-node is accounted for by using a null-space projection and static condensation techniques. Assembling of such line-elements in 3D networks allows us to model extended regions of living tissues as well as their anisotropies.

  
  

Bibtex:

@article{JMR-MCAM:13,
  Author   = {Mu{\~n}oz, Jos\'e J and Conte, Vito and Asadipour, Nina and Miodownik, Mark},
  Title    = {A truss element for modelling reversible softening in living tissues},
  Fjournal = {Mechanics Research Communications},
  Journal  = {Mech. Res. Comm.},
  Volume   = {49},
  Number   = {},
  Pages    = {44-49},
  Year     = {2013}}