Shasha Yang, Shengping Shen¹

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.40, No.3, pp. 219-239, 2014, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2014.040.219

Abstract As well known, gradient theories can describe size effects that are important in nano-scale problems. In this paper, we analyze the Eshelby-type anti-plane inclusion problem embedded in infinite dielectric body by considering both strain gradient and electric field gradient effects to account for the size effect and high-order electromechanical coupling effect. The size-dependent Eshelby and Eshelby-like tensor, strain, stress, electric field and electric displacement components are derived explicitly by means of Green's function method. Theoretical results indicate that strain and electric field are decoupled for anti-plane inclusion problem while stress field and electric displacement are More >

Y. Zhang¹, Y. F. Nie², Y. T. Wu¹

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.40, No.3, pp. 203-218, 2014, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2014.040.203

Abstract The present study aims to evaluate the mechanical properties of steel fiber reinforced concrete (SFRC) by the statistical second-order two-scale (SSOTS) method. At first, the representation for microstructure of SFRC is described by a concept of statistical screen. According to the microstructure representation, the SSOTS method is displayed in a concise way. This method is on the basis of asymptotic expansion homogenization and Monte Carlo method, and can calculate the local strain and stress field through the two-order displacement solution. As the classical homogenization method, the expression of homogenized elastic modulus is derived analytically. Then More >

R. Allena^*,†

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.11, No.3, pp. 185-208, 2014, DOI:10.3970/mcb.2014.011.185

Abstract Confined migration is a crucial phenomenon during embryogenesis, immune response and cancer. Here, a two-dimensional finite element model of a HeLa cell migrating across constricted–curved micro-channels is proposed. The cell is modelled as a continuum with embedded cytoplasm and nucleus, which are described by standard Maxwell viscoelastic models. The decomposition of the deformation gradient is employed to define the cyclic active strains of protrusion and contraction, which are synchronized with the adhesion forces between the cell and the substrate. The micro-channels are represented by two rigid walls and exert an additional viscous force on the… More >

Norizadeh Abbariki Tannaz^*,†, Shokrgozar Mohammad Ali^†,‡, Haghighipour Nooshin^*,§, Aghdami Nasser^¶, Mahdian Rezak^II, Amanzadeh Amir^*, Jazayeri Maryam^*,†

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.11, No.1, pp. 19-37, 2014, DOI:10.3970/mcb.2014.011.019

Abstract Background: Environmental factors affect stem cell differentiation. In addition to chemical factors, mechanical signals have been suggested to enhance myogenic differentiation of stem cells. Therefore, this study was undertaken to illustrate and compare the effect of chemical and mechanical stimuli on Myogenin (MyoG) and Myosin heavy chani 2 (Myh2) expression of mouse bone marrowderived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and embryonic stem cells (ESCs). Methods: After isolation and expansion of BMSCs and generation of embryoid bodies and spontaneous differentiation of ESCs, cells were examined in 4 groups: (1) control group: untreated cells; (2) chemical group: cells… More >

M. Toujani¹, R. Djebali², L. Hassini¹, S. Azzouz¹, A. Belghith¹

CMES-Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences, Vol.98, No.5, pp. 469-485, 2014, DOI:10.3970/cmes.2014.098.469

Abstract In the present work we aim to simulate unsteady two-dimensional evolution of the moisture content, temperature and mechanical stress in a parallelepiped apple sample during convective drying. The model is based on the heat and mass transfer equations and the mechanical equilibrium equation under the assumptions of plane deformation, viscoelasticity and isotropic hydric shrinkage. The Finite Elements COMSOL Multiphysics solver is used to solve the developed model. The hydro-thermal model was validated on experimental data drawn in our laboratory for moisture and temperature internal profiles of the product. Excellent agreement has been obtained between numerical More >

V.B.Shim ¹, K. Mithraratne ¹

CMES-Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences, Vol.98, No.3, pp. 279-294, 2014, DOI:10.32604/cmes.2014.098.279

Abstract The activation of NF-kB is an important precursor in developing melanoma. However the role of mechanical stimulation in the NF-kB activation has not been studied. We used a multiscale computational modeling approach to investigate the role of mechanical stimulation and the skin tissue internal structures in the activation of NF-kB. Our model is made up of three levels – 1) the macro level where a FE model of the Zygomaticus major muscle was developed; 2) the meso level where a micro FE model of the skin block using a sample from human cadaver was developed;… More >

Zhengzheng Cao¹, Yuejin Zhou^1,2, Ping Xu¹, Jiawei Li¹

CMES-Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences, Vol.101, No.5, pp. 351-364, 2014, DOI:10.3970/cmes.2014.101.351

Abstract In accordance with the influence of underground mining on the deformation and failure of a shallow-buried gas pipeline, the pipe-soil interaction during mining is classified into two stages, namely coordinated deformation stage and partial hanging stage. According to the mechanical characteristics of the buried pipeline in each stage, the models of a) a beam on an elastic foundation, b) an elastic beam under uniform load, and c) a vertical and horizontal bending beam are introduced in a mining subsidence zone to mechanically analyze, respectively a) the pipeline in non-mining subsidence zone, b) the pipeline at… More >

Wei Zhang^1,2, Pengcheng Ni², Bingfei Liu^1,3

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.44, No.2, pp. 105-122, 2014, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2014.044.105

Abstract Analytical expressions have been derived for the through thickness stresses of a Functional graded materials (FGMs) thin plate subjected to thermal loading, pure bending and thermo-mechanical coupling, respectively. The structure is comprised of a metallic layer, a ceramic layer and a functional graded layer. Continuous gradation of the volume fraction in the FGM layer is modeled in the form of an "m" power polynomial of the coordinate axis in thickness direction of the plate. Numerical scheme of discretizing the continuous FGM layer with different graded distributions such as linear (m=1), quadratic (m=2) and square root More >

Yuping Zhu^1,2, Tao Chen¹, Kai Yu¹

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.43, No.2, pp. 97-108, 2014, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2014.043.097

Abstract Based on an existing micromechanical constitutive model for Ni2MnGa ferromagnetic shape memory alloy single crystals, a three-dimensional quasi-static isothermal incremental constitutive model that is suitable for finite element analysis is derived by using Hamilton's variational principle. This equation sets up the coupling relation between the magnetic vector potential and the mechanical displacement. By using the incremental equation and ANSYS software, the mechanical behaviors of martensitic variant reorientation for Ni2MnGa single crystals are analyzed under magneto-mechanical coupling action. And the finite element results agree well with the experimental data. The methods used in the paper can More >

Yu Miao¹, Zhe Chen¹, Qiao Wang^1,2, Hongping Zhu¹

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.43, No.1, pp. 49-74, 2014, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2014.043.049

Abstract In this paper, an improved multi-domain model based on the hybrid boundary node method (Hybrid BNM) is proposed for mechanical analysis of 3D composites. The Hybrid BNM is a boundary type meshless method which based on the modified variational principle and the Moving Least Squares (MLS) approximation. The improved multi-domain model can reduce the total degrees of freedom (DOFs) compared with the conventional multi-domain solver. It is very suitable for the inclusion-based composites, especially for the composites when the inclusions are solid and totally embedded in the matrix domain. Numerical examples are presented to verify More >