A quasi-linear constitutive relation for arterial wall materials

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Mechanics of Materials

Background:

• Arterial walls experience significant static deformation and dynamic displacements under physiological conditions.
• Understanding arterial wall mechanics is crucial for diagnosing and treating cardiovascular diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a constitutive relation for arterial wall materials that accounts for physiological loading conditions.
• To establish a method for determining the viscoelastic coefficients of arterial tissues.

Main Methods:

• A Boltzmann-type constitutive relation was formulated for isotropic, incompressible arterial wall materials.
• Elastic coefficients were determined by comparing analytical results with experimental data from Simon et al. (1972).
• Viscoelastic coefficients were determined by analyzing torsional wave propagation in prestressed thin cylindrical tubes.

Main Results:

• A constitutive model was developed for arterial wall mechanics under physiological conditions.
• A novel method for determining viscoelastic coefficients was proposed and validated.
• Elastic coefficients were quantified through comparison with established experimental data.

Conclusions:

• The proposed constitutive relation accurately models arterial wall behavior under physiological loads.
• The developed method provides a reliable approach for characterizing the viscoelastic properties of arteries.
• This research contributes to a better understanding of arterial biomechanics and material properties.