scholarly journals Lung tissue mechanics as an emergent phenomenon

2011 ◽  
Vol 110 (4) ◽  
pp. 1111-1118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Béla Suki ◽  
Jason H. T. Bates

The mechanical properties of lung parenchymal tissue are both elastic and dissipative, as well as being highly nonlinear. These properties cannot be fully understood, however, in terms of the individual constituents of the tissue. Rather, the mechanical behavior of lung tissue emerges as a macroscopic phenomenon from the interactions of its microscopic components in a way that is neither intuitive nor easily understood. In this review, we first consider the quasi-static mechanical behavior of lung tissue and discuss computational models that show how smooth nonlinear stress-strain behavior can arise through a percolation-like process in which the sequential recruitment of collagen fibers with increasing strain causes them to progressively take over the load-bearing role from elastin. We also show how the concept of percolation can be used to link the pathologic progression of parenchymal disease at the micro scale to physiological symptoms at the macro scale. We then examine the dynamic mechanical behavior of lung tissue, which invokes the notion of tissue resistance. Although usually modeled phenomenologically in terms of collections of springs and dashpots, lung tissue viscoelasticity again can be seen to reflect various types of complex dynamic interactions at the molecular level. Finally, we discuss the inevitability of why lung tissue mechanics need to be complex.

2018 ◽  
Vol 140 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
R. C. Picu ◽  
S. Deogekar ◽  
M. R. Islam

Connective tissue mechanics is highly nonlinear, exhibits a strong Poisson's effect, and is associated with significant collagen fiber re-arrangement. Although the general features of the stress–strain behavior have been discussed extensively, the Poisson's effect received less attention. In general, the relationship between the microscopic fiber network mechanics and the macroscopic experimental observations remains poorly defined. The objective of the present work is to provide additional insight into this relationship. To this end, results from models of random collagen networks are compared with experimental data on reconstructed collagen gels, mouse skin dermis, and the human amnion. Attention is devoted to the mechanism leading to the large Poisson's effect observed in experiments. The results indicate that the incremental Poisson's contraction is directly related to preferential collagen orientation. The experimentally observed downturn of the incremental Poisson's ratio at larger strains is associated with the confining effect of fibers transverse to the loading direction and contributing little to load bearing. The rate of collagen orientation increases at small strains, reaches a maximum, and decreases at larger strains. The peak in this curve is associated with the transition of the network deformation from bending dominated, at small strains, to axially dominated, at larger strains. The effect of fiber tortuosity on network mechanics is also discussed, and a comparison of biaxial and uniaxial loading responses is performed.


1990 ◽  
Vol 259 (1) ◽  
pp. H101-H108 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. D. Humphrey ◽  
R. K. Strumpf ◽  
F. C. Yin

We present results from in vitro biaxial stress-strain experiments on epicardium excised from the right and left ventricular free walls of canine hearts. These data reveal that the biomechanical behavior of ventricular epicardium is qualitatively similar to atrial epicardium and parietal pericardium but different from noncontracting myocardium. In particular, ventricular epicardium exhibits a highly nonlinear stress-stretch behavior, being initially compliant but then very stiff near the limits of its extensibility. In addition, the epicardium appears to be initially isotropic but becomes markedly anisotropic upon rapid stiffening. Finally, specimens taken from the right and left ventricular free walls behaved similarly. We submit that excised ventricular epicardium is capable of carrying significant in-plane loads and that there is a need to investigate further its role in local and global cardiac mechanics and physiology.


2016 ◽  
Vol 138 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Keyvan Amini Khoiy ◽  
Rouzbeh Amini

Located on the right side of the heart, the tricuspid valve (TV) prevents blood backflow from the right ventricle to the right atrium. Similar to other cardiac valves, quantification of TV biaxial mechanical properties is essential in developing accurate computational models. In the current study, for the first time, the biaxial stress–strain behavior of porcine TV was measured ex vivo under different loading protocols using biaxial tensile testing equipment. The results showed a highly nonlinear response including a compliant region followed by a rapid transition to a stiff region for all of the TV leaflets both in the circumferential and in the radial directions. Based on the data analysis, all three leaflets were found to be anisotropic, and they were stiffer in the circumferential direction in comparison to the radial direction. It was also concluded that the posterior leaflet was the most anisotropic leaflet.


2012 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 113-117 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yong Liu ◽  
Zhaofeng Chen ◽  
Jianxun Zhu ◽  
Yun Jiang ◽  
Binbin Li

Abstract(SiO2)f/SiO2 composites reinforced with three-dimensional (3D) six-directional preform were fabricated by the silicasol-infiltration-sintering method. The nominal fiber volume fraction was 47%. To characterize the mechanical properties of the composites, mechanical testing was carried out under various loading conditions, including tensile, flexural, and shear loading. The composite exhibited highly nonlinear stress-strain behavior under all the three types of loading. The results indicated that the 3D six-directional braided (SiO2)f/SiO2 composites exhibited superior flexural properties and good shear resistant as compared with other types of preform (2.5D and 3D four-directional)-reinforced (SiO2)f/SiO2 composites. 3D six-directional braided (SiO2)f/SiO2 composite exhibited graceful failure behavior under loading. The addition of 5th and 6th yarns resulted in controlled fracture and hence these 3D six-directional braided composites could possibly be suitable for thermal structure components.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dylan T. Casey ◽  
Samer Bou Jawde ◽  
Jacob Herrmann ◽  
Vitor Mori ◽  
J. Matthew Mahoney ◽  
...  

AbstractFibrotic diseases are characterized by progressive and often irreversible scarring of connective tissue in various organs, leading to substantial changes in tissue mechanics largely as a result of alterations in collagen structure. This is particularly important in the lung because its bulk modulus is so critical to the volume changes that take place during breathing. Nevertheless, it remains unclear how fibrotic abnormalities in the mechanical properties of pulmonary connective tissue can be linked to the stiffening of its individual collagen fibers. To address this question, we developed a network model of randomly oriented collagen and elastin fibers to represent pulmonary alveolar wall tissue. We show that the stress–strain behavior of this model arises via the interactions of collagen and elastin fiber networks and is critically dependent on the relative fiber stiffnesses of the individual collagen and elastin fibers themselves. We also show that the progression from linear to nonlinear stress–strain behavior of the model is associated with the percolation of stress across the collagen fiber network, but that the location of the percolation threshold is influenced by the waviness of collagen fibers.


2004 ◽  
Vol 96 (6) ◽  
pp. 2200-2206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. M. Rivera-Sanchez ◽  
R. A. Johnston ◽  
I. N. Schwartzman ◽  
J. Valone ◽  
E. S. Silverman ◽  
...  

Obesity is an important risk factor for asthma. We recently reported increased ozone (O3)-induced hyperresponsiveness to methacholine in obese mice (Shore SA, Rivera-Sanchez YM, Schwartzman IN, and Johnston RA. J Appl Physiol 95: 938–945, 2003). The purpose of this study was to determine whether this increased hyperresponsiveness is the result of changes in the airways, the lung tissue, or both. To that end, we examined the effect of O3 (2 parts/million for 3 h) on methacholine-induced changes in lung mechanics with the use of a forced oscillation technique in wild-type C57BL/6J mice and mice obese because of a genetic deficiency in leptin ( ob/ob mice). In ob/ob mice, O3 increased baseline values for all parameters measured in the study: airway resistance (Raw), lung tissue resistance (Rtis), lung tissue damping (G) and elastance (H), and lung hysteresivity (η). In contrast, no effect of O3 on baseline mechanics was observed in wild-type mice. O3 exposure significantly increased Raw, Rtis, lung resistance (Rl), G, H, and η responses to methacholine in both groups of mice. For G, Rtis, and Rl there was a significant effect of obesity on the response to O3. Our results demonstrate that both airways and lung tissue contribute to the hyperresponsiveness that occurs after O3 exposure in wild-type mice. Our results also demonstrate that changes in the lung tissue rather than the airways account for the amplification of O3-induced hyperresponsiveness observed in obese mice.


1996 ◽  
Vol 80 (5) ◽  
pp. 1841-1849 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. R. Lutchen ◽  
Z. Hantos ◽  
F. Petak ◽  
A. Adamicza ◽  
B. Suki

Recent studies have suggested that part of the measured increase in lung tissue resistance after bronchoconstriction is an artifact due to increased airway inhomogeneities. To resolve this issue, we measured lung impedance (ZL) in seven open-chest rats with the lungs equilibrated on room air and then on a mixture of neon and oxygen (NeOx). The rats were placed in a body box with the tracheal tube leading through the box wall. A broadband flow signal was delivered to the box. The signal contained seven oscillation frequencies in the 0.234- to 12.07-Hz range, which were combined to produce tidal ventilation. The ZL was measured before and after bronchoconstriction caused by infusion of methacholine (MCh). Partitioning of airway and tissue properties was achieved by fitting ZL with a model including airway resistance (Raw), airway inertance, tissue damping (G), and tissue elastance (H). We hypothesized that if the inhomogeneities were not significant, the apparent tissue properties would be independent of the resident gas, whereas Raw would scale as the ratio of viscosities. Indeed, during control conditions, the NeOx-to-air ratios for G and H were both 1.03 +/- 0.04. Also, there was a small increase in lung elastance (EL) between 0.234 and 4 Hz that was similar on air and NeOx. During MCh infusion, Raw and G increased markedly (45-65%), but the increase in H was relatively small ( < 13%). The NeOx-to-air Raw and H ratios remained the same. However, the NeOx-to-air G ratio increased to 1.19 +/- 0.07 (P < 0.01) and the increase in EL with frequency was now marked and dependent on the resident gas. These results provide direct evidence that for a healthy rat lung airway inhomogeneities do not significantly influence the lung resistance or EL vs. frequency data. However, during MCh-induced constriction, a large portion of the increase in tissue resistance and the altered frequency dependence of EL are virtual and a consequence of the augmented airway inhomogeneities.


1993 ◽  
Vol 75 (6) ◽  
pp. 2506-2513 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. R. Shardonofsky ◽  
J. M. McDonough ◽  
M. M. Grunstein

The effects of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) on lung tissue resistance (Rti) and dynamic elastance (Edyn,L) were examined separately during histamine-induced lung constriction and after saline lung lavage in anesthetized paralyzed New Zealand White rabbits. During mechanical ventilation in the open-chest state, Rti and Edyn,L were estimated by fitting the appropriate signals to the equation of motion of the single-compartment linear model of the lung. Data were analyzed in relation to the structural damping hypothesis, which assumes that energy dissipation (Rti) and energy storage (Edyn,L) within the lung tissues are coupled at a fundamental level; the coupling parameter, termed hysteresivity (eta), = Rti.omega/Edyn,L, where omega is angular frequency. Under baseline conditions, elevation in PEEP resulted in significant increases in both Rti and Edyn,L, with eta remaining unchanged. During induced constriction and after lung lavage, Rti and Edyn,L significantly increased relative to their baseline values. During histamine-induced constriction, increasing PEEP was associated with increases in Edyn,L, whereas Rti and eta were reduced. After lung lavage, elevation in PEEP from 5 to 7 cmH2O was associated with proportional increases in Rti and Edyn,L, resulting in a relative constancy of eta. By contrast, when PEEP was decreased from 5 to 3 cmH2O, the values of Rti increased, whereas Edyn,L remained unchanged, resulting in significant increases in eta. Collectively, these findings suggest that the effects of PEEP on Rti during agonist-induced constriction and after perturbations of the gas-liquid interface are dependent on the state of alveolar/airway stability.


Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 1178
Author(s):  
Aggelos Koutsomichalis ◽  
Thomas Kalampoukas ◽  
Dionysios E. Mouzakis

The purpose of this study was to manufacture hybrid composites from fabrics with superior ballistic performance, and to analyze their viscoelastic and mechanical response. Therefore, composites in hybrid lay-up modes were manufactured from Vectran, Kevlar and aluminum fiber-woven fabrics through a vacuum assisted resin transfer molding. The specimens were consequently analyzed using static three-point bending, as well as by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). Apart from DMA, time–temperature superposition (TTS) analysis was performed by all available models. It was possible to study the intrinsic viscoelastic behavior of hybrid ballistic laminates, with TTS analysis gained from creep testing. A polynomic mathematical function was proposed to provide a high accuracy for TTS curves, when shifting out of the linearity regimes is required. The usual Williams–Landel–Ferry and Arrhenius models proved not useful in order to describe and model the shift factors of the acquired curves. In terms of static results, the highly nonlinear stress–strain curve of both composites was obvious, whereas the differential mechanism of failure in relation to stress absorption, at each stage of deformation, was studied. SEM fractography revealed that hybrid specimens with Kevlar plies are prone to tensile side failure, whereas the hybrid specimens with Vectran plies exhibited high performance on the tensile side of the specimens in three-point bending, leading to compressive failure owing to the high stress retained at higher strains after the maximum bending strength was reached.


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