Anisotropic density growth of bone—A computational micro-sphere approach

Bones are able to adapt their local density when exposed to mechanical loading. Such growth processes result in densification of the bone in regions of high loading levels and in resorption of the material in regions of low loading levels. This evolution and optimisation process generates heterogeneous distributions of bone density accompanied by pronounced anisotropic mechanical properties. While several constitutive models reported in the literature assume the growth process to be purely isotropic, only few studies focus on the modelling and simulation of anisotropic functional adaptation we can observe in vivo. Some of these few computational models for anisotropic growth characterise the evolution of anisotropy by analogy to anisotropic continuum damage mechanics while others include anisotropic growth but assume isotropic elastic properties.The objective of this work is to generalise a well-established framework of energy-driven isotropic functional adaptation to anisotropic microstructural growth and density evolution. We adopt the so-called micro-sphere concept, which proves to be extremely versatile and flexible to extend sophisticated one-dimensional constitutive relations to the three-dimensional case. In this work we apply this framework to the modelling and simulation of anisotropic functional adaptation by means of a directional density distribution, which evolves in time and in response to the mechanical loading condition. Several numerical studies highlight the characteristics and properties of the anisotropic growth model we establish. The formulation is embedded into an iterative finite element algorithm to solve complex boundary value problems. In particular, we consider the finite-element-simulation of a subject-specific proximal tibia bone and a comparison to experimental measurements. The proposed model is able to appropriately represent the heterogeneous bone density distribution. As an advantage over several other computational growth models proposed in the literature, a pronounced local anisotropy evolution is identified and illustrated by means of orientation-distribution-type density plots.     

Fatigue based three-dimensional structural design optimisation studies implementing the generalised Frost–Dugdale crack growth law

Experimental studies of fatigue crack growth in aluminium alloys have shown that, at the low-to-mid stress intensity factor range, there is often a log-linear relationship between the crack length and the fatigue life. These observations have led to the development of the generalised Frost–Dugdale crack growth law, which allowed the accurate prediction of fatigue crack growth from Region I. For this research paper the ‘generalised Frost–Dugdale’ law was used to perform an optimisation study of 7050-T7451 Aluminium structures. The structural optimisation procedure proposed integrates geometrical modelling, structural analysis and optimization into one complete and automated computer-aided design process. The results from the structural optimisation study compared the ‘generalised Frost–Dugdale’ law and the traditional Paris law. Gradient-less, gradient-based optimisation algorithm and an enumeration scheme were considered in this investigation. The enumeration scheme takes advantage of a cluster computer architecture which enables a visualisation of the solution space allowing verification and validation of the optimisation algorithm. The results indicated that the optimal geometrical shape and predicted fatigue life depended on the crack sizes, structural geometry, boundary conditions and fatigue crack growth law. As a result, this procedure illustrates that for the design of light weight structures, a fatigue based optimisation used in conjunction with visualisation of the solution space may provide a viable design methodology. The importance of non-destructive inspection (NDI) and its role in determining optimal structural geometries is also revealed. Furthermore, the possibility of the application of the generalised Frost–Dugdale model in design optimisation has been demonstrated. This procedure has the potential to be applied to structures with complex structural configurations taking into account crack propagation in Region I.     

On the Comparison of Two Strategies to Formulate Orthotropic Hyperelasticity

The main goal of this work is to clarify the relation between two strategies to formulate constitutive equations for orthotropic materials at large strains. On the one hand, the classical approach is based on the incorporation of structural tensors into the free energy function via an enriched set of invariants. On the other hand, a fictitious isotropic configuration is introduced which renders an anisotropic, undeformed reference configuration via an appropriate linear tangent map. This formulation results in a reduced (with respect to the more general setting based on structural tensors) but nevertheless physically motivated set of invariants which are related to the invariants defined by structural tensors. As a main conceptual advantage standard isotropic constitutive equations can be applied and moreover, due to the reduced set of physically motivated invariants, the numerical treatment within a finite element setting becomes manageable.     

A constitutive model for material growth and its application to three-dimensional finite element analysis

This paper describes a material model, in which the materials under consideration grow up in a particular direction while re-organizing themselves to the surroundings. The structural reorganization is modeled as the rearrangement of anisotropy. Two models are proposed; one is that the anisotropic vector is embedded just as in fiber-reinforced materials, and the other is that the vector behaves like a float. In order to apply the present model to boundary-value problems, a three-dimensional finite element formulation is obtained with reference to the total-Lagrangian approach. Here we evaluate the performance of the model in terms of anisotropic growth; (a) adaptation behavior of a quasi-isotropy in the initial state, and (b) monotonic growth in helical direction.     

A framework for multiplicative elastoplasticity with kinematic hardening coupled to anisotropic damage

The objective of this contribution is the formulation and algorithmic treatment of a phenomenological framework to capture anisotropic geometrically nonlinear inelasticity. We consider in particular the coupling of viscoplasticity with anisotropic continuum damage whereby both, proportional and kinematic hardening are taken into account. As a main advantage of the proposed formulation standard continuum damage models with respect to a fictitious isotropic configuration can be adopted and conveniently extended to anisotropic continuum damage. The key assumption is based on the introduction of a damage tangent map that acts as an affine pre-deformation. Conceptually speaking, we deal with an Euclidian space with respect to a non-constant metric. The evolution of this field is directly related to the degradation of the material and allows the modeling of specific classes of elastic anisotropy. In analogy to the damage mapping we introduce an internal variable that determines a back-stress tensor via a hyperelastic format and therefore enables the incorporation of plastic anisotropy. Several numerical examples underline the applicability of the proposed finite strain framework.     

On Backus Average for Generally Anisotropic Layers

In this paper, following the Backus (in J. Geophys. Res. 67(11):4427–4440, 1962) approach, we examine expressions for elasticity parameters of a homogeneous generally anisotropic medium that is long-wave-equivalent to a stack of thin generally anisotropic layers. These expressions reduce to the results of Backus (1962) for the case of isotropic and transversely isotropic layers.In the over half-a-century since the publications of Backus (1962) there have been numerous publications applying and extending that formulation. However, neither George Backus nor the authors of the present paper are aware of further examinations of the mathematical underpinnings of the original formulation; hence this paper.We prove that—within the long-wave approximation—if the thin layers obey stability conditions, then so does the equivalent medium. We examine—within the Backus-average context—the approximation of the average of a product as the product of averages, which underlies the averaging process.In the presented examination we use the expression of Hooke’s law as a tensor equation; in other words, we use Kelvin’s—as opposed to Voigt’s—notation. In general, the tensorial notation allows us to conveniently examine effects due to rotations of coordinate systems.     

A formulation of anisotropic continuum elastoplasticity at finite strains. Part I: Modelling

A constitutive model for anisotropic elastoplasticity at finite strains is developed together with its numerical implementation. An anisotropic elastic constitutive law is described in an invariant setting by use of structural tensors and the elastic strain measure C_e. The elastic strain tensor as well as the structural tensors are assumed to be invariant in relation to superimposed rigid body rotations. An anisotropic Hill-type yield criterion, described by a non-symmetric Eshelby-like stress tensor and further structural tensors, is developed, where use is made of representation theorems for functions with non-symmetric arguments. The model also considers non-linear isotropic hardening. Explicit results for the specific case of orthotropic anisotropy are given. The associative flow rule is employed and the features of the inelastic flow rule are discussed in full. It is shown that the classical definition of the plastic material spin is meaningless in conjunction with the present formulation. Instead, the study motivates an alternative definition, which is based on the demand that such a quantity must be dissipation-free, as the plastic material spin is in the case of isotropy. Equivalent spatial formulations are presented too. The full numerical treatment is considered in Part II.     

Fatigue life enhancement of structures using shape optimisation

The paper proposes a new approach for shape optimisation with fatigue life as the design objective. Conventional designs often incorporate stress optimisation that aims at reducing stress concentrations around a structural boundary by minimising the peak stress. However, this is only an effective and sufficient measure for an ‘ideal’ or ‘flaw-less’ structure. It is a well-known fact that flaws (cracks) are inevitably present in most structures. This emphasises the need to investigate the influence of cracks on optimised shapes. Numerical modelling of cracks using the Finite Element Method requires a fine mesh to model the singularity at crack tips, which makes fracture calculations computationally expensive. Furthermore, for a damage tolerance based optimisation, numerous cracks are to be considered at various arbitrary locations in a structure, and fatigue life evaluation needs to be repeated for each crack at every iteration. This makes the optimisation process extremely computationally inefficient for practical purpose. Moreover, the lack of information concerning crack size, orientation, and location makes the formulation of the optimisation problem difficult. As a result, there has been inadequate research to consider fracture parameters, such as fatigue life, in the optimisation objective. To address this, the paper presents an approach for the shape optimisation of damage tolerant structures with fatigue life as the design constraint.The damage tolerance based optimisation was performed using a number of nonlinear programming algorithms, namely the Broydon-Fletcher-Goldfarb-Shanno (BFGS) method, the Fletcher Reeves (Conjugate Direction) method, and the Sequential Unconstrained Minimisation Technique (SUMT). These methods were extended for optimising the fatigue life in the presence of numerous surface cracks. A significant enhancement in fatigue life was achieved for various crack cases consisting of different initial and final crack sizes. It is shown that the fatigue life optimised shapes can be considerably different from the corresponding stress optimised solution. This emphasises the need to explicitly consider fatigue life as a distinct design objective when optimising damage tolerant structures. A fatigue life optimisation leads to the generation of a ‘near uniform’ fatigue critical surface. The design space near the ‘optimal’ region was found to be relatively flat. This means that the precise identification of the local/global optimum solution is not critical, because a significant structural performance enhancement can be achieved in the ‘near’ optimal region. An additional benefit of fatigue life optimisation is that the resulting optimised shapes may even be lighter than the stress optimised designs. To verify the optimal solutions obtained using the nonlinear programming algorithms, the results were compared with those obtained using a heuristic optimisation method (Biological algorithm). The solutions predicted by both the methods, employing inherently different (gradient-based and gradient-less) algorithms, were found to agree very well.     

Invariant formulation of hyperelastic transverse isotropy based on polyconvex free energy functions

In this paper we propose a formulation of polyconvex anisotropic hyperelasticity at finite strains. The main goal is the representation of the governing constitutive equations within the framework of the invariant theory which automatically fulfill the polyconvexity condition in the sense of Ball in order to guarantee the existence of minimizers. Based on the introduction of additional argument tensors, the so-called structural tensors, the free energies and the anisotropic stress response functions are represented by scalar-valued and tensor-valued isotropic tensor functions, respectively. In order to obtain various free energies to model specific problems which permit the matching of data stemming from experiments, we assume an additive structure. A variety of isotropic and anisotropic functions for transversely isotropic material behaviour are derived, where each individual term fulfills a priori the polyconvexity condition. The tensor generators for the stresses and moduli are evaluated in detail and some representative numerical examples are presented. Furthermore, we propose an extension to orthotropic symmetry.     

Structural optimisation with damage tolerance constraints

Recent developments in cluster computing and structural optimisation offer the potential for significant improvements in the design of more durable structures, and for producing optimum fatigue life extension rework profiles. The present paper reveals the importance of non-destructive inspection (NDI) and the role it plays in determining optimum structural rework geometries. This finding is important since when performing stress based optimisation the interrelationship of NDI and optimum rework geometries is not immediately apparent. The problems studied also reveal the flatness of the solution space and, unlike stress based optimisation, the existence of multiple maxima. Such solution spaces represent a major challenge for any optimisation procedure. To this end we explore the advantages of using the NIMROD optimisation suite of programs in conjunction with A cluster computer architecture and the highlight the benefit of visualizing the solution space.     

Anisotropic parameter identification using inhomogeneous tensile test

In this contribution, an inverse identification strategy of constitutive laws for elastoplastic behaviour is presented. The proposed inverse algorithm is composed on an appropriate finite element calculation combined with an optimisation procedure. It is applied to identify material anisotropic coefficients using a set up of easy performed laboratory tests. The used experimental data are the plane tensile test and the off axes tensile tests. The identified behaviour models are mainly based on Hill's quadratic yield criterion. Two cases of this yield criterion have been considered: the transverse isotropic and the orthotropic one under an associated and non-associated flow rule assumptions for each case. The yield surface has been assumed to expand isotropically (isotropic strain hardening law) as a function of the plastic work.In order to better describe anisotropic plastic properties of the studied materials, a recently planar anisotropic yield function is used. It is a non-quadratic yield criterion which takes account of anisotropic yield stresses as well as anisotropic strain ratios. It is subsequently shown that the agreement between inverse identification results and experimental measurements were improved.We prove also that the presented strategy is a good alternative to the simplified homogeneous tests assumption, especially for the plane tensile test.     

Unified one‐fluid formulation for incompressible flexible solids and multiphase flows: Application to hydrodynamics using the immersed structural potential method (ISPM)

In this paper, we present a two‐dimensional computational framework for the simulation of fluid‐structure interaction problems involving incompressible flexible solids and multiphase flows, further extending the application range of classical immersed computational approaches to the context of hydrodynamics. The proposed method aims to overcome shortcomings such as the restriction of having to deal with similar density ratios among different phases or the restriction to solve single‐phase flows. First, a variation of classical immersed techniques, pioneered with the immersed boundary method (IBM), is presented by rearranging the governing equations, which define the behaviour of the multiple physics involved. The formulation is compatible with the “one‐fluid” formulation for two‐phase flows and can deal with large density ratios with the help of an anisotropic Poisson solver. Second, immersed deformable structures and fluid phases are modelled in an identical manner except for the computation of the deviatoric stresses. The numerical technique followed in this paper builds upon the immersed structural potential method developed by the authors, by adding a level set–based method for the capturing of the fluid‐fluid interfaces and an interface Lagrangian‐based meshless technique for the tracking of the fluid‐structure interface. The spatial discretisation is based on the standard marker‐and‐cell method used in conjunction with a fractional step approach for the pressure/velocity decoupling, a second‐order time integrator, and a fixed‐point iterative scheme. The paper presents a wide d range of two‐dimensional applications involving multiphase flows interacting with immersed deformable solids, including benchmarking against both experimental and alternative numerical schemes.     

Global structural behaviour of thin and moderately thick monoclinic spherical shells using a mixed shear deformation model

Summary The static and dynamic responses of anisotropic spherical shells under a uniformly distributed transverse load are investigated. Analytical solutions using the mixed variational formulation are presented for spherical shells subjected to various boundary conditions. Numerical results of a refined mixed first-order shear deformation theory for natural frequencies, critical buckling, center deflections and stresses are compared with those obtained using the classical shell theory. A variety of simply-supported and clamped boundary conditions are considered and comparisons with the existing literature are made. The sample numerical results presented herein for global structural behaviour of monoclinic spherical shells should serve as references for future comparisons.     

Flow in a Porous Matrix with Anisotropic Structure

The flow of a viscous fluid through a porous matrix undergoing only infinitesimal deformation is described in terms of intrinsic variables, namely, the density, velocity and stress occurring in coherent elements of each material. This formulation arises naturally when macroscopic interfaces are conceptually partitioned into area fractions of fluid–fluid, fluid–solid, and solid–solid contact. Such theory has been shown to yield consistent jump conditions of mass, momentum and energy across discontinuities, either internal or an external boundary, unlike the standard mixture theory jump conditions. In the previous formulation, the matrix structure has been considered isotropic; that is, the area fractions are independent of the interface orientation. Here, that is not assumed, so in particular, the cross-section area of a continuous fluid tube depends on its orientation, which influences the directional fluxes, and in turn the directional permeability, anisotropy of the structure. The simplifications for slow viscous flow are examined, and particularly for an isotropic linearly elastic matrix in which area partitioning induces anisotropic elastic response of the mixture. A final specialization to an incompressible fluid and stationary matrix leads to potential flow, and a simple plane flow solution is presented to illustrate the effects of anisotropic permeability.     

Hysteretic models with stiffness and strength degradation in a mathematical programming format

In this paper, we present several hysteretic models formulated using an energy approach. In each case, the behavior of the model is completely described by specifying two scalar-valued functions—a stored energy function and a dissipation potential. Consequently, different types of mathematical programs arise in incremental non-linear analyses involving these models. It is relatively well-known how classical plasticity models can be described using an energy approach, and lead to mathematical programming problems. However, in this paper, we demonstrate that plasticity models with non-associated flow rules, softening plasticity or strength degradation models, and damage or stiffness degradation models can be represented in this framework as well. The energy approach serves to unify formulation and implementation of a broad class of hysteretic models. In addition, it helps motivate regularization strategies needed in optimization and inverse problems. The types of models considered in this paper are ones commonly applied in earthquake engineering. MATLAB implementations are included as online supplemental data with this paper to illustrate the conceptual simplicity of implementing models formulated using this approach.     

A spectral method with staggered grid for incompressible Navier-Stokes equations

In order to solve the Navier-Stokes equations by spectral methods, we develop an algorithm using a staggered grid to compute the pressure. On this grid, an iterative process based on an artificial compressibility matrix associates the pressure with the continuity equation. This method is very accurate and avoids naturally most of the effects of parasite modes appearing in classical spectral methods with a velocity—pressure formulation.     

Capillary instabilities in a thin nematic liquid crystalline fiber embedded in a viscous matrix

$m$ to take into account non-axisymmetric modes. Capillary instabilities in nematic fibers reflect the anisotropic nature of liquid crystals, such as the orientation contribution to the surface elasticity and surface bending stresses. Surface gradients of bending stresses provide additional anisotropic contributions to the capillary pressure that may renormalize the classical displacement and curvature forces that exist in any fluid fiber. The exact nature (stabilizing and destabilizing) and magnitude of the renormalization of the displacement and curvature forces depend on the nematic orientation and the anisotropic contribution to the surface energy, and accordingly capillary instabilities may be axisymmetric or non-axisymmetric, with finite or unbounded wavelengths. Thus, the classical fiber-to-droplet transformation is one of several possible instability pathways while others include surface fibrillation. The contribution of the viscosity ratio to the capillary instabilities of a thin nematic fiber in a viscous matrix is analyzed by two parameters, the fiber and matrix Ohnesorge numbers, which represent the ratio between viscous and surface forces in each phase. The capillary instabilities of a thin nematic fiber in a viscous matrix are suppressed by increasing either fiber or matrix Ohnesorge number, but estimated droplet sizes after fiber breakup in axisymmetric instabilities decrease with increasing matrix Ohnesorge number. Received November 26, 2001 / Published online May 21, 2002 Communicated by Epifanio Virga, Pavia     

Mathematical modeling of anisotropic avascular tumor growth

Cancer represents one the most challenging problems in medicine and biology nowadays, and is being actively addressed by many researchers from different areas of knowledge. The increasing development of sophisticated mathematical models and computer-based procedures has had a positive impact on our understanding of cancer-related mechanisms and the design of anticancer treatment strategies. However, further investigation and experimentation are still required to completely elucidate the tumor-associated mechanical responses, as well as the effect of mechanical forces on the net tumor growth. In this work we develop a theoretical framework in the context of continuum mechanics to investigate the anisotropic growth of avascular tumor spheroids. To that end, a specific anisotropic growth deformation tensor is considered, which also describes an isotropic growth law as a particular case. Mixtures theory and the notion of multiple natural configurations are then used to formulate a mathematical model of avascular tumor growth. More precisely, mass, momentum balance and nutrients diffusion equations are derived, where solid tumors are assumed as hyperelastic and compressible materials. Moreover, mechanical interactions with a rigid extracellular matrix (ECM) are considered, and the mechanical modulation of growing tumors in a rigid surrounding tissue is investigated by means of numerical simulations. Finally, the model results are compared with experimental data previously reported in the literature.