Large Growth Deformations of Thin Tissue Using Solid-Shells.

Area of Science:

• Computational mechanics
• Biomechanical modeling
• Computer graphics

Background:

• Simulating large-scale expansion of thin biological structures presents significant computational challenges.
• Existing thin-shell methods are limited in handling large plastic deformations, a common feature in biological growth.
• Solid-shell elements offer a promising approach by combining volumetric properties with thin-shell adaptability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a general-purpose Finite Element Method (FEM) growth framework utilizing solid-shell elements.
• To enable simulation of complex growth scenarios involving large and intricate plastic deformations.
• To evaluate the performance and applicability of solid-shells for modeling biological growth.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of a novel FEM growth framework based on solid-shell elements.
• Integration of techniques for large plastic deformations: morphogen diffusion, plastic embedding, adaptive remeshing, and collision handling.
• Comparative analysis of solid-shell and thin-shell elements for bending behavior and runtime performance.

Main Results:

• The developed framework successfully simulates various growth-related deformations, including buckling, rippling, curling, and collisions.
• Solid-shell elements demonstrate adaptability for complex scenarios previously intractable with thin-shells.
• Experimental results show solid-shells are a viable alternative to thin-shells for simulating intricate growth.

Conclusions:

• The novel FEM growth framework with solid-shell elements effectively handles large-scale thin structure growth.
• Solid-shells provide a robust and adaptable solution for simulating complex deformations in biological and artificial thin structures.
• This approach advances the simulation of growth phenomena relevant to fields like computer graphics and biomechanics.