[Stress relaxation of heterogeneous myocardial tissue. Numerical experiments with 3D model]

We present here a simple block model of heterogeneous system describing the processes of stress relaxation in spatial and mechanically heterogeneous myocardial tissue. In numerical experiments with this model it is established that in order to obtain the same level of tension as in the case with a uniform model the less stiff and less viscous heterogeneous blocks are required. It is shown that in the model of heterogeneous myocardial tissue not only stress relaxation but also strain relaxation -- creep is observed. Notably step-by-step adjustment of the neighbor structural blocks in response to the whole model deformation takes place. Furthermore stationary deformation properties of separated blocks become nonlinear.