0000000000596016
AUTHOR
Marko K. Matikainen
Approximation of pre-twisted Achilles sub-tendons with continuum beam elements
Achilles sub-tendons are materially and geometrically challenging structures that can nearly undergo around 15% elongation from their pre-twisted initial states during physical activities. Sub-tendons' cross-sectional shapes are subject-specific, varying from simple to complicated. Therefore, the Achilles sub-tendons are often described by three-dimensional elements that lead to a remarkable number of degrees of freedom. On the other hand, the continuum-based beam elements in the framework of the absolute nodal coordinate formulation have already been shown to be a reliable and efficient replacement for the three-dimensional continuum elements in some special problems. So far, that element …
Modeling of the Achilles Subtendons and Their Interactions in a Framework of the Absolute Nodal Coordinate Formulation
Experimental results have revealed the sophisticated Achilles tendon (AT) structure, including its material properties and complex geometry. The latter incorporates a twisted design and composite construction consisting of three subtendons. Each of them has a nonstandard cross-section. All these factors make the AT deformation analysis computationally demanding. Generally, 3D finite solid elements are used to develop models for AT because they can discretize almost any shape, providing reliable results. However, they also require dense discretization in all three dimensions, leading to a high computational cost. One way to reduce degrees of freedom is the utilization of finite beam elements…