arXiv subjects

K. Grosh

Publications and source records attributed to K. Grosh.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2007

The micromechanics of fluid-solid interactions during growth in porous soft biological tissue

In this paper we address some modelling issues related to biological growth. Our treatment is based on a recently-proposed, general formulation for growth within the context of Mixture Theory (Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids, 52, 2004, 1595--1625). We aim to enhance this treatment by making it more appropriate for the biophysics of growth in porous soft tissue, specifically tendon. This involves several modifications to the mathematical formulation to represent the reactions, transport and mechanics, and their interactions. We also reformulate the governing differential equations for reaction-transport to represent the incompressibility constraint on the fluid phase of the tissue. This revision enables a straightforward implementation of numerical stabilisation for the hyperbolic, or advection-dominated, limit. A finite element implementation employing an operator splitting scheme is used to solve the coupled, non-linear partial differential equations that arise from the theory. Motivated by our experimental model, an in vitro scaffold-free engineered tendon formed by self-assembly of tendon fibroblasts (Tissue Engineering, 10, 2004, 755--761), we solve several numerical examples demonstrating biophysical aspects of tissue growth, and the improved numerical performance of the models.

q-bio.TO↗

arXiv2005

Biological remodelling: Stationary energy, configurational change, internal variables and dissipation

Remodelling is defined as an evolution of microstructure or variations in the configuration of the underlying manifold. The manner in which a biological tissue and its subsystems remodel their structure is treated in a continuum mechanical setting. While some examples of remodelling are conveniently modelled as evolution of the reference configuration (Case I), others are more suited to an internal variable description (Case II). In this paper we explore the applicability of stationary energy states to remodelled systems. A variational treatment is introduced by assuming that stationary energy states are attained by changes in microstructure via one of the two mechanisms--Cases I and II. An example is presented to illustrate each case. The example illustrating Case II is further studied in the context of the thermodynamic dissipation inequality.

q-bio.TO↗

arXiv2004

Remodeling of biological tissue: Mechanically induced reorientation of a transversely isotropic chain network

A new class of micromechanically motivated chain network models for soft biological tissues is presented. On the microlevel, it is based on the statistics of long chain molecules. A wormlike chain model is applied to capture the behavior of the collagen microfibrils. On the macrolevel, the network of collagen chains is represented by a transversely isotropic eight chain unit cell introducing one characteristic material axis. Biomechanically induced remodeling is captured by allowing for a continuous reorientation of the predominant unit cell axis driven by a biomechanical stimulus. To this end, we adopt the gradual alignment of the unit cell axis with the direction of maximum principal strain. The evolution of the unit cell axis' orientation is governed by a first-order rate equation. For the temporal discretization of the remodeling rate equation, we suggest an exponential update scheme of Euler-Rodrigues type. For the spatial discretization, a finite element strategy is applied which introduces the current individual cell orientation as an internal variable on the integration point level. Selected model problems are analyzed to illustrate the basic features of the new model. Finally, the presented approach is applied to the biomechanically relevant boundary value problem of an in vitro engineered functional tendon construct.

q-bio.QM↗

arXiv2003

A continuum treatment of growth in biological tissue: The coupling of mass transport and mechanics

Growth (and resorption) of biological tissue is formulated in the continuum setting. The treatment is macroscopic, rather than cellular or sub-cellular. Certain assumptions that are central to classical continuum mechanics are revisited, the theory is reformulated, and consequences for balance laws and constitutive relations are deduced. The treatment incorporates multiple species. Sources and fluxes of mass, and terms for momentum and energy transfer between species are introduced to enhance the classical balance laws. The transported species include: (\romannumeral 1) a fluid phase, and (\romannumeral 2) the precursors and byproducts of the reactions that create and break down tissue. A notable feature is that the full extent of coupling between mass transport and mechanics emerges from the thermodynamics. Contributions to fluxes from the concentration gradient, chemical potential gradient, stress gradient, body force and inertia have not emerged in a unified fashion from previous formulations of the problem. The present work demonstrates these effects via a physically-consistent treatment. The presence of multiple, interacting species requires that the formulation be consistent with mixture theory. This requirement has far-reaching consequences. A preliminary numerical example is included to demonstrate some aspects of the coupled formulation.

q-bio.QM↗

arXiv2003

Material forces in the context of biotissue remodelling

Remodelling of biological tissue, due to changes in microstructure, is treated in the continuum mechanical setting. Microstructural change is expressed as an evolution of the reference configuration. This evolution is expressed as a point-to-point map from the reference configuration to a remodelled configuration. A ``preferred'' change in configuration is considered in the form of a globally incompatible tangent map. This field could be experimentally determined, or specified from other insight. Issues of global compatibility and evolution equations for the resulting configurations are addressed. It is hypothesized that the tissue reaches local equilibrium with respect to changes in microstructure. A governing differential equation and boundary conditions are obtained for the microstructural changes by posing the problem in a variational setting. The Eshelby stress tensor, a separate configurational stress, and thermodynamic driving (material) forces arise in this formulation, which is recognized as describing a process of self-assembly. An example is presented to illustrate the theoretical framework.

q-bio.QM↗