Computer model of the human head-neck and finite element analysis

The difficulty in establishing the finite element model of head and cervical spine is interpreted in the study. A head-neck 3D model is constructed accurately and quickly by the technology of CT scan,the automatically modeling of Mimics software and the RE technology of Geomagic software. Then the finite element model of the head-neck which is close to the real one is set up by the preprocessor of the FEM soft ware ANSYS. After the transient finite element analysis is performed on the model,the historical response of the displacement of the head is obtained. The result is validated by the result of the existed experiment. The stress,as well as the deformation,of nodes in the head and the cervical spine at any time benefits a lot to the clinic study on the injure to the head and neck caused by the impacts. And all the analysis is done by limited computer available.

Experimental and finite element analysis of tibial stress fractures using a rabbit model

AIM: To determine if rabbit models can be used to quantify the mechanical behaviour involved in tibial stress fracture(TSF) development.METHODS: Fresh rabbit tibiae were loaded under compression using a specifically-designed test apparatus. Weights were incrementally added up to a load of 30 kg and the mechanical behaviour of the tibia was analysed using tests for buckling, bone strain and hysteresis. Structural mechanics equations were subsequently employed to verify that the results were within the range of values predicted by theory. A finite element(FE) model was developed using cross-sectional computer tomography(CT) images scanned from one of the rabbit bones, and a static load of 6 kg(1.5 times the rabbit's body weight) was applied to represent running. The model was validated using the experimental strain gauge data, then geometric and elemental convergence tests were performed in order to find the minimum number of cross-sectional scans and elements respectively required for convergence. The analysis was then performed using both the model and the experimental results to investigate the mechanical behaviour of the rabbit tibia under compressive load and to examine crack initiation.RESULTS: The experimental tests showed that un der a compressive load of up to 12 kg, the rabbit tibia demonstrates linear behaviour with little hysteresis Up to 30 kg, the bone does not fail by elastic buckling however, there are low levels of tensile stress which predominately occur at and adjacent to the anterio border of the tibial midshaft: this suggests that fatigue failure occurs in these regions, since bone under cycli loading initially fails in tension. The FE model predic tions were consistent with both mechanics theory and the strain gauge results. The model was highly sensi tive to small changes in the position of the applied load due to the high slenderness ratio of the rabbit s tibia. The modelling technique used in the curren study could have applications in the development o human FE models of bone, where, unlike rabbit tibia the model would be relatively insensitive to very sma changes in load position. However, the rabbit mode itself is less beneficial as a tool to understand the me chanical behaviour of TSFs in humans due to the sma size of the rabbit bone and the limitations of human scale CT scanning equipment.CONCLUSION: The current modelling technique could be used to develop human FE models. However, the rabbit model itself has significant limitations in under standing human TSF mechanics.

Finite element analysis of anchor plates using non-coaxial models

The non-coaxial model simulating the non-coincidence between the principal stresses and the principal plastic strain rates is employed within the framework of finite element method（FEM） to predict the behaviors of anchors embedded in granular material.The non-coaxial model is developed based on the non-coaxial yield vertex theory,and the elastic and conventional coaxial plastic deformations are simulated by using elasto-perfectly plastic Drucker-Prager yield function according to the original yield vertex theory.Both the horizontal and vertical anchors with various embedment depths are considered.Different anchor shapes and soil friction and dilation angles are also taken into account.The predictions indicate that the use of non-coaxial models leads to softer responses,compared with those using conventional coaxial models.Besides,the predicted ultimate pulling capacities are the same for both coaxial and non-coaxial models.The non-coaxial influences increase with the increasing embedment depths,and circular anchors lead to larger non-coaxial influences than strip anchors.In view of the fact that the design of anchors is mainly determined by their displacements,ignoring the non-coaxiality in finite element numerical analysis can lead to unsafe results.

Conventional versus minimally-invasive cervical discectomy for treatment of severe degenerative disease at C5-C6: a biomechanical comparison using a model of the full cervical spine and finite element analysis

The purpose of this study was to determine the dif-ferences in biomechanical responses of tissues in the cervical spine when pain and other problems secon-dary to severe disc degeneration disease are surgi-cally treated by conventional discectomy (CONDIS) compared to minimally-invasive discectomy (MIVDIS). A validated three-dimensional model of an intact, healthy, adult full cervical spine (C1-C7) (INT) was constructed. This model was then modified to create two models, one simulating each of the above-men-tioned two techniques for discectomy of the severely degenerated C5-C6 disc. For each of these three models, we used the finite element analysis method to obtain three biomechanical parameters at various tissues in the model, under seven different physio-logically relevant loadings. For each of the biome-chanical parameters, the results were expressed as relative change in its value when a specified combi-nation of simulated discectomy model and applied loading was used, with respect to the corresponding value in the intact model. We then computed the value of a composite biomechanical performance in-dex (CBPI) for CONDIS and MIVDIS models, with this value incorporating all of the aforementioned relative changes. We found that CBPI was marginally lower for MIVDIS model. This trend is the same as that reported for the relative complications rate and outcome measures following conventional and mini-mally-invasive discectomies in the lumbar spine. From a healthcare perspective, one implication of our finding is that minimally-invasive cervical discectomy should be considered an attractive option provided that detailed patient selection criteria are clearly de-fined and strictly followed.

The finite element analysis of articular cartilage fiber-reinforced composite model under rolling load

Articular cartilage is a layer of low-friction,load-bearing soft hydrated tissue covering bone-ends in diarthrosis,which plays an important role in spreading the load,reducing the joint contact stress,joint friction and wear during exercise.The vital mechanical function

Rapid Modeling and Finite Element Analysis of Missile Stiffener

Stiffener is the important missile structure to ensure the structural strength of the missile. In order to improve the design efficiency and the quality of the missile stiffener, the methods of missile stiffener rapid modeling and analysis are proposed. First, the problems of traditional manual modeling of the stiffener are analyzed. According to the problems and actual requirement of modeling, volume decomposition method is used to divide the stiffener into the upper section, the lower section and the web in order for feature analysis and parameter extraction. Then based on the parameters the basic unit decomposed above is created for Boolean operation to establish the stiffener. Finally, a rapid stiffener modeling and analysis program were developed based on UG Open API, the modeling and analysis result validates the feasibility of the method.

Evaluation value of three-dimensional finite element model analysis for bone mineral density and bone metabolism activity in patients with osteoporosis

Objective: To study the evaluation value of three-dimensional finite element model analysis for bone mineral density (BMD) and bone metabolism activity in patients with osteoporosis. Methods: A total of 218 patients who were diagnosed with osteoporosis in the hospital between February 2014 and January 2017 were collected as observation group, and 100 healthy volunteers who received physical examination in the hospital during the same period were selected as normal control group. The femoral head of the two groups was analyzed by three-dimensional finite element model, and the femoral head BMD levels and serum bone metabolism index contents were measured. Pearson test was used to evaluate the evaluation value of femoral head three-dimensional finite element model for osteoporosis. Results: The cancellous bone and cortical bone Von Mises stress value of observation group were lower than those of normal control group, and femoral neck BMD value of observation group was lower than that of normal control group;serum bone metabolism index BGP content was lower than that of normal control group while NBAP, TRACP-5b and CTX-1 contents were higher than those of normal control group. Pearson test showed that the cancellous bone and cortical bone Von Mises stress value of patients with osteoporosis were directly correlated with BMD value and bone metabolism index contents. Conclusion: The three-dimensional finite element model analysis resultsof patients with osteoporosis can objectively reflect the femoral headBMD value and bone metabolism activity, and is a reliable way to evaluate the risk of long-term fractures.

Finite Element Implementation of the Exponential Drucker-Prager Plasticity Model for Adhesive Joints

This paper deals with the numerical implementation of the exponential Drucker-Parger plasticitymodel in the commercial finite element software,ABAQUS,via user subroutine UMAT for adhesive joint simulations.The influence of hydrostatic pressure on adhesive strength was investigated by a modified Arcan fixture designed particularly to induce a different state of hydrostatic pressure within an adhesive layer.The developed user subroutine UMAT,which utilizes an associated plastic flow during a plastic deformation,can provide a good agreement between the simulations and the experimental data.Better numerical stability at highly positive hydrostatic pressure loads for a very high order of exponential function can also be achieved compared to when a non-associated flow is used.

A MULTI-COUPLED FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS OF RESISTANCE SPOT WELDING PROCESS

A two-dimensional axisymmetric finite element model is developed to analyze the transient thermal and mechanical behaviors of the Resistance Spot Welding （RSW） process using commercial software ANSYS. Firstly a direct-coupled electrical-thermal Finite Element Analysis （FEA） is performed to analyze the transient thermal characteristics of the RSW process. Then based on the thermal results a sequential coupled thermo-elastic-plastic analysis is conducted to determine the mechanical features of the RSW process. The thermal history of the whole process and the temperature distribution of the weldment are obtained through the analysis. The mechanical features, including the distributions of the contact pressure at both the faying surface and the electrode-workpiece interface, the stress and strain distributions in the weldment and their changes during the RSW process, the deformation of the weldment and the electrode displacement are also calculated.

Finite element analysis of ionic liquid gel soft actuator

A new type of soft actuator material-ionic liquid gel （ILG）, which consists of HEMA, BMIMBF4, and TiO2, can be transformed into gel state under the irradiation of ultraviolet （UV） light. In this paper, Mooney-Rivlin hyperelastic model of finite element method is proposed for the first time to study the properties of the ILG. It has been proved that the content of TiO2 has a great influence on the properties of the gel, and Young＇s modulus of the gel increases with the increase of its content, despite of reduced tensile deformation. The results in this work show that when the TiO2 content is 1.0 wt%, a large tensile deformation and a strong Young＇s modulus can be obtained to be 325% and 7.8 kPa, respectively. The material parameters of ILG with TiO2 content values of 0.2 wt%, 0.5 wt%, 1.0 wt%, and 1.5 wt% are obtained, respectively, through uniaxial tensile tests, including C10, C01, C20, C11, C02, C30, C21, C12, and C03 elements. In this paper, the large-scaled general finite element software ANSYS is used to simulate and analyze the ILG, which is based on SOLID186 element and nonlinear hyperelastic Mooney-Rivlin model. The finite element simulation analysis based stress-strain curves are almost consistent with the experimental stress-strain curves, and hence the finite element analysis of ILG is feasible and credible. This work presents a new direction for studying the performance of soft actuator for the ILG, and also contributes to the design of soft robot actuator.

Rock-soil slope stability analysis by two-phase random media and finite elements

To investigate the strong random nature of the geometric interfaces between soil and rock, a rock-soil slope is considered as a two-phase random medium. A nonlinear translation of a Gaussian field is utilized to simulate the two-phase random media, such that the soil(or rock) volume fraction and the inclination of the soil layer can be examined. The finite element method with random media incorporated as the material properties is used to determine the factor of safety of the rock-soil slope. Monte-Carlo simulations are used to estimate the statistical characteristics of the factor of safety. The failure mode of the rock-soil slope is examined by observing the maximum principal plastic strain at incipient slope failure. It is found that the critical surface of a rock-soil slope is fairly irregular, and it significantly differs from that of a pure soil slope. The factor of safety is sensitive to the soil volume faction, but it is predictable. The average factor of safety could be well predicted by the weighted harmonic average between the strength of soil and rock; the prediction model is practical and simple. Parametric studies on the inclination of the soil layer demonstrate that the most instable scenario occurs when the slope angle is consistent with the inclination of the soil layer.

Three-dimensional finite element analysis on effects of tunnel construction on nearby pile foundation

A three-dimensional finite element simulation was carried out to investigate the effects of tunnel construction on nearby pile foundation.The displacement controlled model (DCM) was used to simulate the tunneling-induced volume loss effects.The numerical model was verified based on the results of a centrifuge test and a set of parametric studies was implemented based on this model.There is good agreement between the trend of the results of the centrifuge test and the present model.The results of parametric studies show that the tunnelling-induced pile internal force and deformation depend mainly on the pile?tunnel distance,the pile length to tunnel depth ratio and the volume loss.Two different zones are separated by a 45° line projected from the tunnel springline.Within the zone of influence,the pile is subjected to tensile force and large settlement;whereas outside the zone of influence,dragload and small settlement are induced.It is also established that the impact of tunnelling on a pile group is substantially smaller as compared with a single pile in the same location with the rear pile in a group,demonstrating a positive pile group effect.

Experimental and finite element analysis for fracture of coating layer of galvannealed steel sheet

Mechanical properties of galvannealed (GA) steel sheet used for automotive exposed panel and predicted failure phenomenon of its coating layer were evaluated using finite element method. V-bending test was performed to understand better the fracture of coating layer of GA steel sheet during plastic deformation. Yield strength of the coating layer was calculated by using a relative difference between hardness of coating layer measured from the nano-indentation test and that of substrate. To measure shearing strength at the interface between substrate and coating layer, shearing test with two specimens attached by an adhesive was carried out. Using the mechanical properties measured, a series of finite element analyses coupled with a failure model was performed. Results reveal that the fracture of coating layer occurs in an irregular manner at the region where compressive deformation is dominant. Meanwhile, a series of vertical cracks perpendicular to material surface are observed at the tensile stressed-region. It is found that 0.26-0.28 of local equivalent plastic strain exists at the coating and substrate at the beginning of failure. The fracture of coating layer depends on ductility of the coating layer considerably as well.

Dynamic Characteristics of Inflated Torus Using Finite Element Analysis

In recent years, inflatable structures have been a subject of interest for space applications such as communication antenna, solar thermal propulsion and entry/landing systems. The inflatable structures characterized by high strength-to-mass ratios, minimal stowage volume, which makes them suitable for cost-effective large space structures. A typical example for the inflatable structure is the inflated torus which often used in order to provide structure support. In this study, our main focus is to understand the dynamic characteristics of an inflated torus in order to formulate an accurate mathematical model suitable for active vibration control applications. A commercial finite element package, ANSYS, is used to model the inflated torus. To verify the model the obtained frequencies and mode shapes are compared with the published results, which are derived using analytical approach, the verification shows a good agreement between the FEM and the analytical results. Based on the verified model, parametric study was investigated; the material thickness increase causes the natural frequencies decrease, while the increase of the inflation pressure simply results in stiffening the ring, which means that the natural frequency increased. The FEM analysis gives an easy and fast way for the vibration analysis of the structures compared with the complicated analytical solutions.

Design and Structural Analysis of Flexible Wearable Chair Using Finite Element Method

The flexible wearable chair is like a light weight mobile exoskeleton that allows people to sit any-where in any working position. The traditional chair is difficult to move to different working locations due to its large size, heavy weight (~5 - 7 kg) and rigid structure and thus, they are inappropriate for workplaces where enough space is not available. Flexible wearable chair has a gross weight of 3 kg as it utilizes light-weight aluminium alloy members. Unlike the traditional chair, it consists of kinematic pairs which enable taking halts between continuous movements at any working position and thus, it is capable of reducing the risk of the physical musculoskeletal disorder substantially among workers. The objective of this paper is to focus on the mechanical design and finite element analysis (FEA) of the mechanism using ANSYS® software. In the present work, all the parts of the mechanism are designed under static load condition. The results of the analysis indicate that flexible wearable chair satisfies equilibrium and stability criterion and is capable of reducing fatigue during working in an assembly line/factory.

Review: Recent Developments in the Non-Probabilistic Finite Element Analysis

Generally, the finite element analysis of a structure is completed under deterministic inputs.However,uncertainties corresponding to geometrical dimensions,material properties, boundary conditions cannot be neglected in engineering applications. The probabilistic methods are the most popular techniques to handle these uncertain parameters but subjective results could be obtained if insufficient information is unavailable. Non-probabilistic methods can be alternatively employed,which has led to the procedures for nonprobabilistic finite element analysis. Each non-probabilistic finite element analysis method consists of two individual parts,including the core algorithm and pre-processing procedure. In this context,three types of algorithms and two typical pre-processing procedures as well as their effectiveness are described in detail,based on which novel hybrid algorithms can be conceived for the specific problems and the future work in this research field can be fostered.

Finite Element Structural Analysis UsingObject-Oriented Techniques

This paper describes the object-oriented implementational method of finite element structural analysis, gives the basic concepts of the object-oriented method and objectoriented programming, develops a complete class hierarchy structure of object-oriented finite element structural analysis, and gives a part C+ + code description.

Finite Element Analysis of Dynamic Damper for CV Joint

Constant Velocity [CV] Joints are one of the most important components of front wheel drive axles. It is subjected to various stresses such as bending stress, shear stress and bearing stress. Apart from these stresses, it is also subjected to vibrations, due to out of balance tire or wheel and an out of round tire or wheel, or a bent rim. The main objective of this work is to reduce the stiffness of the damper, so that the damper can withstand within the required constraints [i.e. the forced frequency range of 80 Hz to 150 Hz]. The free vibrational and forced vibrational effects are investigated to predict the resonance phenomenon of the damper. Finite Element Analysis in ANSYS-11 software was performed to predict the dynamic behavior of the system under the required vibrational frequencies ranging from 80 Hz to 150 Hz at given loading conditions.

2D Finite Element Analysis of Asynchronous Machine Influenced Under Power Quality Perturbations

Asynchronous machines are predominantly preferred in industrial sectors for its reliability.Power quality perturbations have a greater impact on industries;among the different power quality events,voltage fluctuations are the most common and that may cause adverse effect on machine’s operation since they are longer enduring.The article discusses a numerical technique for evaluating asynchronous motors while taking into account magnetic saturation,losses,leakage flux,and voltage drop.A 2D linear analysis involving a multi-slice time stepping finite element model is used to predict the end effects.As an outcome,the magnetic saturation and losses are estimated using amodified 2D nonlinear time-stepping finite element formulation.The method takes the electromagnetic fields at the ends of the motor into account using limited computer resources.The proposed method will greatly reduce computation timewith limited computer resources for analyzing themachine’s performance with high precision.The analyzed findings assist in preventing voltage variance issues in the power network system and provide suggestions for developing a robust system.

Stress Analysis of Buried Pipeline Installed by Horizontal Directional Drilling Using ANSYS Finite Element Software

In designing a horizontal directional drilling (HDD) pipeline project, designers face the challenge of determining the regions of maximum and minimum stresses on pipelines, ensuring the stability of the bore-hole from collapse and minimizing the stresses induced on the pipeline due to the bore-profile. This study analyses the stress induced on an HDD pipeline system using the ANSYS Version 18, mechanical APDL finite element (FE) software. The pipeline used as the case study was a gas transmission pipeline installed in south-west Nigeria. A macro-file for ANSYS Version 18, mechanical APDL used to model the pipeline was developed. The results showed that the maximum and minimum stresses induced on the HDD pipeline were at the top and bottom of the pipe, respectively;while the stresses on the sides were uniform (≈888 kg/cm2) all through the pipeline, irrespective of element number. The maximum stress occurred at the curvature point with the highest entry angle (10°), resulting in a maximum deflection at this point. The model stress validation performed by comparing results with theoretical solutions, both with respect to radius of curvature and internal pressure, showed percentage difference (errors) less than 10%. The cross sectional area validation showed a percentage difference of 0.059%.