A simulação computacional em biomecânica permite analisar o comportamento dos movimentos do corpo humano, diminuindo, e inclusive evitando ensaios experimentais invasivos. A locomoção humana resulta das forças desenvolvidas pelos músculos esqueléticos. Os mecanismos que produzem essas forças ainda são um tema de investigação aberto. O pouco entendimento desse fenômeno tem levado a subestimar propriedades importantes nos modelos mecânicos, as quais são essenciais para a simulação do comportamento do músculo. O objetivo desta tese foi desenvolver um código computacional que permita obter de maneira precisa e exata, a representação numérica do comportamento mecânico dos músculos esqueléticos. O código visa compilar diversas pesquisas numéricas de tal forma que a simulação possa considerar os fenômenos essenciais no comportamento mecânico do músculo e posteriormente avaliar sua influência na geração de força muscular. A formulação utilizada é baseada no Método dos Elementos Finitos (MEF), que é escrito em função das posições nodais. Os músculos esqueléticos foram discretizados por elementos planos e sólidos e uma análise não linear geométrica foi realizada. O programa considera fibras longas colocadas dentro de um domínio contínuo (passivo) sem adicionar graus de liberdade ao sistema). Um modelo transversalmente isotrópico, hiperelástico quase incompressível foi utilizado para simular o tecido muscular. A energia livre de Helmholtz foi usada para modelar o comportamento muscular ativo e passivo do músculo. Os resultados da pesquisa mostram que o código computacional é adequado para representar um modelo hiperelástico quase incompreensível no modelo transversalmente isotrópico. Permitindo considerar o músculo esquelético em duas partes distintas: intramuscular (matriz) e extracelular (fibras) utilizando a energia livre de Helmholtz e com ativação uniaxial, tanto em modelos estáticos como dinâmicos não lineares. Os resultados numéricos demonstraram que o algoritmo implementado é adequado para realizar análises não lineares geométricas de músculos esqueléticos via MEF. A condição de incompressibilidade foi comprovada nos problemas com materiais hiperelásticos. Também, foi demostrada a necessidade de realizar uma análise de convergência para as fibras. Finalmente, foi notada a complexidade na construção e na análise estrutural dos músculos esqueléticos, sendo necessário continuar desenvolvendo estratégias numéricas para maior aprofundamento. / Computational Modeling in Biomechanics allows analyzing of human body\'s movements, decreasing and some cases avoiding invasive experimental tests. The human locomotion is the result of forces developed by skeletal muscles. The mechanisms that produce this force are still an open research topic. The little knowledge of this phenomenon has led to underestimating important properties in mechanical models. The goal of this thesis was developed a computer code to obtain, in a precise and exact manner, the numerical representation of the mechanical behavior of skeletal muscles. The code aims to compile several numerical research, such that the simulation can consider the essential phenomena in mechanical behavior and then evaluate their influence in the muscle strength development. The used formulation is based on the Finite Element Method (FEM), which is written as a function of nodal positions. The skeletal muscles were discretized by plane and solid elements, and a geometrically nonlinear analysis was performed. The program considers long fibers placed inside a continuum domain (passive) without adding degrees of freedom to the system. A transversely isotropic model almost incompressible hyperelastic model was used to simulate the muscle tissue. The Helmholtz free energy was used to model the active and passive muscle behavior of muscle. The findings from the research indicate that the computer code is adequate to represent a transversely isotropic model almost incompressible hyperelastic model. The code allows skeletal muscle to be considered in two parts: intramuscular (matrix) and extracellular (fibers) using the Helmholtz free energy and with uniaxial activation, in nonlinear statical and dynamical models. The results support the model implemented for nonlinear geometrical analyzes of skeletal muscle using FEM. The almost incompressibility condition was tested in problems with hyperelastic materials. Also, numerical simulations confirm that a convergence analyzes for fibers is always required. Finally, it was noted the complexity in the construction and the structural analyzes of skeletal muscles, being necessary to continue developing numerical strategies for further deepening.

Mechanical simulation of viscoelastic materials and assigning a viscoelastic material to the modeled parts in the simulations are difficult task. For the simulations, material model should be well chosen and material coefficients of the chosen models should be known. In order to obtain accurate simulations, hyperelastic characteristics of the viscoelastic materials should be investigated and hyperelastic model should be incorporated in the solutions. Material models and material model&rsquo / s coefficients are chosen with the help of mechanical tests/experiments for these situations. The main goal of this thesis is to optimize material model&rsquo / s coefficients by using an indenter test setup results and inverse finite element modeling. To achieve this, firstly by using a haptic device and other required equipments an indenter setup was prepared to test the materials mechanically. Inverse finite element modeling method is used in order to model the materials according to their viscoelastic and hyperelastic characteristics. The model obtained from analysis was optimized by using the results obtained from indenter setup according to experimental test data. By doing this, the correctness of the model chosen by inverse finite element modeling was proved for the tested material and material model coefficients were calculated correctly.

Low back pain is an ailment that affects a significant portion of the community. However, due to the complexity of the spine, which is a series of interconnected joints, and the loading conditions applied to these joints the causes for back pain are not well understood. Investigations of damage or failure of the spinal structures from a mechanical viewpoint may be viewed as a way of providing valuable information for the causes of back pain. Low back pain is commonly associated with injury to, or degeneration of, the intervertebral discs and involves the presence of tears or lesions in the anular disc material. The aim of the study presented in this thesis was to investigate the biomechanical effect of anular lesions on disc function using a finite element model of the L4/5 lumbar intervertebral disc. The intervertebral disc consists of three main components - the anulus fibrosus, the nucleus pulposus and the cartilaginous endplates. The anulus fibrosus is comprised of collagen fibres embedded in a ground substance while the nucleus is a gelatinous material. The components of the intervertebral disc were represented in the model together with the longitudinal ligaments that are attached to the anterior and posterior surface of the disc. All other bony and ligamentous structures were simulated through the loading and boundary conditions. A high level of both geometric and material accuracy was required to produce a physically realistic finite element model. The geometry of the model was derived from images of cadaveric human discs and published data on the in vivo configuration of the L4/5 disc. Material properties for the components were extracted from the existing literature. The anulus ground substance was represented as a Mooney-Rivlin hyperelastic material, the nucleus pulposus was modelled as a hydrostatic fluid in the healthy disc models and the cartilaginous endplates, collagen fibres and longitudinal ligaments were represented as linear elastic materials. A preliminary model was developed to assess the accuracy of the geometry and material properties of the disc components. It was found that the material parameters defined for the anulus ground substance did not accurately describe the nonlinear shear behaviour of the tissue. Accurate representation this nonlinear behaviour was thought to be important in ensuring the deformations observed in the anulus fibrosus of the finite element model were correct. There was no information found in the literature on the mechanical properties of the anulus ground substance. Experimentation was, therefore, carried out on specimens of sheep anulus fibrosus in order to quantify the mechanical response of the ground substance. Two testing protocols were employed. The first series of tests were undertaken to provide information on the strain required to initiate permanent damage in the ground substance. The second series of tests resulted in the acquisition of data on the mechanical response of the tissue to repeated loading. The results of the experimentation carried out to determine the strain necessary to initiate permanent damage suggested that during daily loading some derangement might be caused in the anulus ground substance. The results for the mechanical response of the tissue were used to determine hyperelastic constants which were incorporated in the finite element model. A second order Polynomial and a third order Ogden strain energy equation were used to define the anulus ground substance. Both these strain energy equations incorporated the nonlinear mechanical response of the tissue during shear loading conditions. Using these geometric data and material properties a finite element model of a representative L4/5 intervertebral disc was developed. When the measured material parameters for the anulus ground substance were implemented in the finite element model, large deformations were observed in the anulus fibrosus and excessive nucleus pressures were found. This suggested that the material parameters defining the anulus ground substance were overly compliant and in turn, implied the possibility that the stiffness of the sheep anulus ground substance was lower than the stiffness of the human tissue. Even so, the mechanical properties of the sheep joints had been shown to be similar to those of the human joint and it was concluded that the results of analyses using these parameters would provide valuable qualitative information on the disc mechanics. To represent the degeneration of the anulus fibrosus, the models included simulations of anular lesions - rim, radial and circumferential lesions. Degeneration of the nucleus may be characterised by a significant reduction in the hydrostatic nucleus pressure and a loss of hydration. This was simulated by removal of the hydrostatic nucleus pressure. Analyses were carried out using rotational loading conditions that were comparable to the ranges of motion observed physiologically. The results of these analyses showed that the removal of the hydrostatic nucleus pressure from an otherwise healthy disc resulted in a significant reduction in the stiffness of the disc. This indicated that when the nucleus pulposus is extremely degenerate, it offers no resistance to the deformation of the anulus and the mechanics of the disc are significantly changed. Specifically, the resistance to rotation offered by the intervertebral disc is reduced, which may affect the stability of the joint. When anular lesions were simulated in the finite element model they caused minimal changes in the peak moments resisted by the disc under rotational loading. This suggested that the removal of the nucleus pressure had a greater effect on the mechanics of the disc than the simulation of anular lesions. The results of the finite element model reproduced trends observed in both the healthy and degenerate intervertebral disc in terms of variations in nucleus pressure with loading conditions, axial displacement of the superior surface and bulge of the peripheral anulus. It was hypothesised that the reduced rotational stiffness of the degenerate disc may result in overload of the surrounding innervated osseoligamentous anatomy which may in turn cause back pain. Similarly back pain may result from the abnormal deformation of the innervated peripheral anulus in the vicinity of anular lesions. Furthermore, it was hypothesised that biochemical changes may result in the degeneration of the nucleus, which in turn may cause excessive strains in the anulus ground substance and lead to the initiation of permanent damage in the form of anular lesions. With further refinement of the components of the model and the methods used to define the anular lesions it was considered that this model would provide a powerful analysis tool for the investigation of the mechanics of intervertebral discs with and without significant degeneration.

This study aims to comprehend the bistable and multi-stable behaviour of flexible straws with the intention of utilising it for future engineering applications. This behaviour is achieved by the multiple inversions of conical frustum shells within the corrugation of a flexible straw. This study examined the effects of various material models, geometry variables and loading methods on the inversion of close-top and open-top conical frustum shells via experiments and FEM simulations. This thesis consists of three main parts, and the second and the third parts are complementary to each other: First, we investigated the effects of applying a uniform vertical load to the upper rim of open-top frustum shells via FEM simulations. A reference model was simulated based on the measurements of an ordinary polypropylene flexible straw specimen, using two material models - linear elastic and elastically perfectly plastic. The effects of the interactions between frusta of the corrugated segment of a flexible straw were also studied by evaluating the difference in responses between an individual frustum and conjugated models of two or three frusta. It was found that by constraining the rotation of its bottom rim, an individual frustum can fairly reproduce the complex bistable behaviour of the shorter frustum within the corrugated part of a flexible straw. Furthermore, detailed parametric studies that focused on the effects of various geometric parameters were conducted and generalised formulas that predicted the critical force were derived. A comparison between the simulated results and the analytical model in predicting progressive inversion was made to distinguish the geometric boundaries that separate the one-off snap-through to the progressive inversion of frustum shells. Next, the behaviour of close-top frustum shells in response to vertical point loading at various locations on the top surface was evaluated. A hyperelastic material was used to fabricate the physical specimens. During the experiments, the corresponding deformed shapes were recorded by 3D scanning in addition to measurements of the displacement and reaction force. We observed a close resemblance between the experimental and FEM simulated results, which validated the FEM models. Two local peaks were observed before the structure was fully inverted into its secondary stable state and the overall critical force of the structure was defined by the higher one of the two. The relationship between their magnitudes and the loading locations was analysed and an optimal loading location which gave the minimum critical force was proposed and verified by additional simulations. Furthermore, generalised formulas in predicting critical force were also acquired based on parametric studies. The optimal loading location was found to be constant in spite of variations in height and thickness. The third part of this thesis discussed the effects of lateral point loading on both close-top and open-top frustum shells at various locations on the side surface and supplemented the second part. It is found that the removal of the top surface could cause the critical force to decrease if a point load was applied laterally. Moreover, we were able to fully invert the structure with a lower critical force through lateral loading in comparison to vertical loading.

No description available.

One of the major goal of the researchers is to reduce energy loss including nanoscale to the structural level. For instance, around 65% of fuel energy is lost during the propulsion of the automobiles, where 11% of the loss happens at tires due to rolling friction. Out of that tire loss, 90 to 95% loss happens due to hysteresis of tire materials. This dissertation focuses on multiscale modeling techniques in order to facilitate the discovery new rubber materials. Enhanced coarse-grained models of elastomers (thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer and natural rubber) are constructed from full-atomic models with reasonable repeat units/beads associated with pressure-correction for non-bonded interactions of the beads using inverse Boltzmann method (IBM). Equivalent continuum modeling is performed with volumetric/isochoric loading to predict macroscopic mechanical properties using molecular mechanics (MM) and molecular dynamics (MD). Glass-transition and rate-dependent mechanical properties along with hysteresis loss under uniaxial deformation is predicted with varying composition of the material. A statistical non-Gaussian treatment of a rubber chain is performed and linked with molecular dynamics in order predict hyperelastic material constants without fitting with any experimental data.

Although highly underutilized by the medical device industry, Finite Element Analysis (FEA) in the development of new technologies is gaining popularity as regulatory bodies such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) begin to require additional proof of safety through scientific methods. Non-linear FEA allows engineers to realistically simulate the mechanical behavior of implants as seen in the in-vitro, or in some cases, the in-vivo configurations. The work presented in this report investigates how computational methods can be used to simulate the interaction of a St. Jude Medical silicone soft-tip as it passes through a Peel-Away Sheath (i.e. introducer). In this analysis the soft-tips were modeled as axisymmetric with hyperelastic material properties assigned to the soft-tips. An Ogden, second order hyperelastic material model was used to describe the non-linear stress-strain behavior of silicone soft-tips. The finite element program, ABAQUS/Standard was used to simulate the soft-tip/introducer interactions. The reaction forces obtained through these simulations represent the force required to push a lead through an introducer, and were then compared to experimental data.

La mousse flexible de polyuréthane est couramment utilisée dans nombreuses applications telles que acoustiques, thermiques et de bâtiment grâce à sa faible densité et à son pouvoir d’isolation thermique et acoustique. Elle est également utilisée dans les applications de confort pour les sièges tels que véhicule, train, avion etc. grâce sa faible raideur et à son pouvoir à absorber l’énergie de déformation. Pour optimiser le confort des systèmes d’assise, il est nécessaire de modéliser le siège et en particulier la partie flexible, c’est-à-dire la mousse de polyuréthane. Les objectifs principaux de cette thèse consistent à identifier puis à modéliser le comportement quasi-statique de la mousse de polyuréthane sous différentes conditions d’essais sous grandes déformations. Des essais de compression/décompressions unidirectionnels monocycle et multicycle à différentes vitesses de déformations ont été réalisés sur trois types de mousse de polyuréthane, afin de comprendre le comportement du matériau. Ces essais ont permis de déduire que les mousses de polyuréthanes sous grandes déformations présentent à la fois un comportement hyperélastique et un comportement viscoélastique. Ils ont également montrés que les mousses de polyuréthanes présentent un phénomène d’assouplissement appelé ‘effet de Mullins’ lors que les essais de compression/décompressions multicycle, c’est-à-dire que les contraintes dans 1er cycle sont moins faibles que les contraintes dans les cycles suivants pour une même déformation. Sur la base des résultats d’expérimentaux et afin de modéliser le comportement quasi-statique de la mousse de polyuréthanne, nous avons développé trois modèles visco-hyperélastiques qui se composent de deux éléments à savoir la partie modèles énergétiques hyperélastiques, utilisés généralement pour des matériaux à comportement caoutchoutique, et la partie modèle à mémoire entier qui tient compte de l’historique et permettant de décrire le comportement viscoélastique. Les paramètres des modèles ont été identifiés en utilisant la méthode d’identification et la méthode d’optimisation appropriée. Les résultats des modélisations du comportement mécanique de la mousse sur les essais monocycles et multicycles ont été comparés aux résultats expérimentaux, monteront à la fois une très bonne capacité à simuler le 1er cycle de charge/décharge, ainsi que les cycles suivant. Nos modèles ont prouvé leur capacité à modéliser l’effet de Mullins sur les mousses de polyuréthane souple. Ces modèles ont été validés sur les trois types de mousse et pour trois vitesses de sollicitation, permettent de conclure leurs efficacités et de leurs représentativités. / Flexible polyurethane foam is widely used in numerous applications such as acoustic, thermal and building due to its low density and its ability to absorb thermal and acoustic energy. It is also used for the comfort of the seats such as the vehicle, train, plane due to its low stiffness and its ability to absorb deformation energy. In order to optimize the comfort of the car seat, it is necessary to model the behavior of seat system, particularly the flexible component - polyurethane foam. The main objective of this study is to identify and model the quasi-static behavior of polyurethane foam under different test conditions in large deformations. Compression / decompression uniaxial unicycle and multicycle tests were carried out on three types of polyurethane foam at different strain rates, which allows us to understand the behavior of the material. The results of the tests indicate that the polyurethane foams exhibit a hyperelastic behavior and a viscoelastic behavior under large deformations. They also showed that the polyurethane foams have a stress softening phenomenon which is called 'Mullins effect' during the compression / decompression multicycle tests. In other words, the stress in first cycle is lower than the stresses in the subsequent cycles in the same deformation. ‘Mullins effect’ for the polyurethane foam is also an important study in this dissertation. Based on the experimental results and the goal of modeling quasi-static behavior of the polyurethane foam, three visco-hyperelastic models were developed. These models consist in two elements: hyperelastic models, which is normally used for description the behavior of rubber materials, and entire memory model which takes into account the history and describing the viscoelastic behavior. Model parameters were identified using appropriate identification and optimization methods. The results of modeling the mechanical behavior of the foam on the unicycle and multicycle tests were compared with experimental results. The models showed a very good competence to simulate the first cycle and the following cycles during the charge / discharge tests. Our models have proven its ability to model Mullins effect on flexible polyurethane foams. These models have been validated on three types of foam in order to present a comparative study of their effectiveness and their representativeness.

Le soufflage des bouteilles en polyéthylène téréphtalate (PET) génère des modifications importantes des propriétés mécaniques du matériau comme le montre l'étude de caractérisation des propriétés hétérogènes et anisotropes réalisée sur le fond pétaloïde, une partie 3D de géométrie complexe de bouteille soufflée présentée en fin de mémoire. L'étude principale présentée dans ce rapport s'inscrit dans le cadre du procédé de soufflage par bi-orientation où le matériau, qui se trouve à des températures légèrement supérieures à la température de transition vitreuse (Tg), est fortement biétiré générant ainsi de grandes modifications de morphologie microstructurale. Pour permettre à terme une simulation numérique du procédé qui prenne en compte ces modifications de propriétés en cours de soufflage, l'objectif de la thèse est de décrire le comportement du PET par un modèle visco hyperélastique original en grandes déformations, d'identifier ce modèle couplé à la thermique à partir des données expérimentales très récentes de tension biaxiale à des conditions de vitesse et de température proches du procédé et enfin d'implanter ce modèle pour la simulation du procédé. En parallèle, les aspects thermiques, qui s'avèrent fondamentaux pour le procédé, sont explorés via une identification des propriétés thermiques réalisée sur la base d'essais de chauffage infrarouge et de mesure de champs par caméra thermique. La proximité de Tg rend les propriétés mécaniques très sensibles aux moindres variations de température aussi est-il particulièrement important de prédire correctement les conditions thermique initiales de la préforme avant soufflage. De plus, la très forte viscosité à ces températures génère une dissipation importante et qui contribue à l'auto échauffement du matériau modifiant les propriétés mécaniques au cours du temps. La formulation de ce problème thermo-mécanique couplé est implémenté et résolu par la méthode des éléments finis pour simuler le gonflage des préformes / The stretch blow moulding process for polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles generates important modifications of the mechanical properties of the material as it can be shown in an identification study of the orthotropic and heterogeneous elastic properties in the 3D region of the petaloïd bottom of PET bottles. The main topic of this work deals with the modelling of the complex behaviour of the PET during the process that is managed at a temperature slightly above the glass transition temperature Tg. In this range of temperature and considering the high strain rates involved during the process, large changes in the material morphology can be observed and the goal of this work is to propose a visco hyperelastic model to predict the PET behaviour under these severe conditions: large deformations, high strain rate… An original procedure is proposed to manage the identification of the material properties from the experimental data of recent biaxial elongation tests. On the other hand, effects of temperature are of fundamental importance during the injection stretch blow moulding process of PET bottles. Near Tg small variations of temperature have great influence on physical properties: an accurate prediction of the initial temperature field generated by the infrared heating is proposed. Also, the important viscous dissipation induces self-heating of the material during the process which is necessary to be taken into account during the numerical simulation. The identification of the thermal parameters is achieved by an experimental infrared heating study. The global thermo mechanical model is implemented and numerical simulations are managed using the finite element method to solve the free blowing of PET preforms

Com o crescente uso de estruturas de membrana tensionada, as relações tensãodeformação do tecido utilizado em sua fabricação devem ser bem entendidas. Deste modo, esta dissertação apresenta um estudo sobre o comportamento mecânico de um tecido arquitetônico PTFE-vidro, ressaltando seu complexo mecanismo de deformação que engloba efeitos de anisotropia, não-linearidade física, troca de ondulações, histerese, remoção do espaçamento entre os fios e variação de temperatura. Diferentes métodos para modelagem do material foram estudados, com ênfase no modelo de material ortótropo representado por um funcional energia de deformação hiperelástico. Além disso, vários protocolos para ensaios de tração em tecidos recobertos foram analisados e uma série de ensaios biaxiais com amostras cruciformes foram realizados no Centro de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento da Birdair, Inc. Um determinado funcional energia de deformação foi então ajustado aos dados de campo obtidos nestes testes, cujos resultados foram então comparados diretamente aos dados obtidos em campo e a um ajuste direto de uma superfície suave tensão-deformação. A performance do modelo ajustado não se encontra ainda em um patamar de aplicação industrial, entretanto este estudo permite um entendimento global dos mecanismos de deformação do tecido PTFEvidro, fornecendo também uma massa de dados consistentes que podem ser utilizados em situações práticas. / Considering the growing use of tensioned membrane structures, the stress-strain relation of the fabric used on its construction must be well understood. This dissertation presents a study of the mechanical behavior of a PTFE coated fiberglass fabric, emphasizing its complex strain mechanism which is influenced by the material anisotropy, physical non-linearity, crimp interchange, hysteresis, removal of yarn spacing and changes in temperature. Different material models were studied, focusing on an orthotropic material model represented by a hyperelastic strain energy function. Also, different test protocols were reviewed and a series of biaxial tests on cruciform samples were performed at the Birdair, Inc.s Research and Development Center. A strain energy function was adjusted to the collected data and than its results compared to the data itself and to another stress-strain function directly adjusted to the data. The performance of the strain-energy function chosen is not on a level of industrial application; however this study gives a global understanding of the PTFE coated fiberglass strain mechanism and also provides a consistent database that may be used on real situations.