0000000000351394
AUTHOR
Sofia Di Leonardo
showing 5 related works from this author
Unconventional application of Image Correlation techniques on Biomaterials and cardiovascular applications
2022
Image Correlation techniques are increasing in popularity and are now suitable to investigate complex structural and fluid-dynamics of cardiovascular systems. These approaches operate through a digital correlation of a pair of images to determine physical quantities of complex systems. In this thesis, their application to the mechanical characterisation of complex biomaterials (Nitinol and soft materials), and the characterisation of complex biofluid-dynamics was investigated, with the aim to analyse their reliability and enhance their accuracy and field of application. Digital Image Correlation, supported by Infrared Thermography, was used to achieve a more in depth understanding of the me…
Standard mechanical testing is inadequate for the mechanical characterisation of shape-memory alloys: Source of errors and a new corrective approach
2022
Thanks to its unique behaviour characterised by a superelastic response, Nitinol has now become the material of preference in a number of critical applications, especially in the area of medical implants. However, the reversible phase transformation producing its exceptional comportment is also responsible for a number of phenomena that make its mechanical characterisation particularly complex, by hindering the assumptions at the very basis of common uniaxial tensile testing. This necessarily reduces the level of safety and design optimization of current applications, which rely on incorrect mechanical parameters. In this study, the spurious effects introduced by the unconventional material…
Mode I interlaminar fracture toughness of thin-ply laminates with CNT webs at the crack interface
2019
Abstract Pristine and functionalized carbon nanotube (CNT) webs were introduced at the interlaminar region of two different thin-ply carbon fibre reinforced polymer systems (NTPT 402 prepreg, and TeXtreme/SE84LV). The Mode I interlaminar fracture toughness (ILFT) for the NTPT 402 material was substantially lower. In contrast when SE84LV resin was used, the resistance curves were virtually unchanged and with no depreciation in the steady state value of the ILFT. This demonstrates that a careful choice of the resin is essential to permit the embedding of CNT webs in thin-ply laminates without compromising structural performance and opens a new way towards the development of multifunctional th…
The Role of Patient-Specific Morphological Features of the Left Atrial Appendage on the Thromboembolic Risk Under Atrial Fibrillation
2022
BackgroundA large majority of thrombi causing ischemic complications under atrial fibrillation (AF) originate in the left atrial appendage (LAA), an anatomical structure departing from the left atrium, characterized by a large morphological variability between individuals. This work analyses the hemodynamics simulated for different patient-specific models of LAA by means of computational fluid–structure interaction studies, modeling the effect of the changes in contractility and shape resulting from AF.MethodsThree operating conditions were analyzed: sinus rhythm, acute atrial fibrillation, and chronic atrial fibrillation. These were simulated on four patient-specific LAA morphologies, each…
Investigation of the Thermomechanical Response of Cyclically Loaded NiTi Alloys by Means of Temperature Frequency Domain Analyses
2021
Nickel–Titanium (NiTi) shape memory alloys subjected to cyclic loading exhibit reversible temperature changes whose modulation is correlated with the applied load. This reveals the presence of reversible thermomechanical heat sources activated by the applied stresses. One such source is the elastocaloric effect, accounting for the latent heat of Austenite–Martensite phase transformation. It is, however, observed that when the amplitude of cyclic loads is not sufficient to activate or further propagate this phase transformation, the material still exhibits a strong cyclic temperature modulation. The present work investigates the thermomechanical behaviour of NiTi under such low-amplitude cyc…