J. Li¹, Z.H. Xiang¹, M.D. Xue¹

The International Conference on Computational & Experimental Engineering and Sciences, Vol.2, No.1, pp. 7-12, 2007, DOI:10.3970/icces.2007.002.007

Abstract This paper presents a finite element scheme to analyze the buckling behavior of composite shells subjected to thermal and mechanical loads. Firstly, a kind of multi-layered composite shell element with relative degrees-of-freedom is adopted to model laminated composite shells. Then the corresponding temperature element is developed so that the mechanical analysis and the thermal analysis share a common mesh. Moreover, a new criterion of critical heat flux is proposed in stead of the traditional criterion of critical temperature. Finally, the advantage of the proposed scheme is illustrated by calculating the stable region of thermal-mechanical loads More >

Guanbin Song^∗,†,‡, Yang Ju^∗,†,§, Hitoshi Soyama^*, Toshiro Ohashi^¶, Masaaki Sato^¶

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.4, No.4, pp. 201-210, 2007, DOI:10.3970/mcb.2007.004.201

Abstract Mechanical stimulation is critical to both physiological and pathological states of living cells. Although a great deal of research has been done on biological and biochemical regulation of the behavior of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), the influence of biomechanical factors on their behavior is still not fully documented. In this study, we investigated the modulation of mechanical stretch magnitude, frequency, and duration on the human marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) proliferation by an in vitro model system using a mechanical stretch loading apparatus, and optimized the stretch regime for the proliferation of hMSCs.… More >

Judith Su^∗, Ricardo R. Brau^†, Xingyu Jiang^‡, George M. Whitesides^§, Matthew J. Lang^¶, Peter T. C. So^||

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.4, No.2, pp. 105-118, 2007, DOI:10.3970/mcb.2007.004.105

Abstract During migration, asymmetrically polarized cells achieve motion by coordinating the protrusion and retraction of their leading and trailing edges, respectively. Although it is well known that local changes in the dynamics of actin cytoskeleton remodeling drive these processes, neither the cytoskeletal rheological properties of these migrating cells are well quantified nor is it understand how these rheological properties are regulated by underlying molecular processes. In this report, we have used soft lithography to create morphologically polarized cells in order to examine rheological differences between the front and rear zone of an NIH 3T3 cell posed More >

Judith Su^∗, Xingyu Jiang^†, Roy Welsch^‡, George M. Whitesides^§, Peter T. C. So^¶

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.4, No.2, pp. 87-104, 2007, DOI:10.3970/mcb.2007.004.087

Abstract Interactions between the cell and the extracellular matrix regulate a variety of cellular properties and functions, including cellular rheology. In the present study of cellular adhesion, area was controlled by confining NIH 3T3 fibroblast cells to circular micropatterned islands of defined size. The shear moduli of cells adhering to islands of well defined geometry, as measured by magnetic microrheometry, was found to have a significantly lower variance than those of cells allowed to spread on unpatterned surfaces. We observe that the area of cellular adhesion influences shear modulus. Rheological measurements further indicate that cellular shear… More >

Jason W. Triplett^∗, Rita O’Riley^∗, Kristyn Tekulve^∗, Suzanne M. Norvell^∗, Fredrick M. Pavalko^†

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.4, No.1, pp. 13-26, 2007, DOI:10.3970/mcb.2007.004.013

Abstract Maintenance of optimal bone physiology requires the coordinated activity of osteoclasts that resorb old bone and osteoblasts that deposit new bone. Mechanical loading of bone and the resulting movement of interstitial fluid within the spaces surrounding bone cells is thought to play a key role is maintaining optimal bone mass. One way in which fluid movement may promote bone formation is by enhancing osteoblast survival. We have shown previously that application of fluid flow to osteoblasts in vitro confers a protective effect by inhibiting osteoblast apoptosis (Pavalko et al., 2003, J. Cell Physiol., 194: 194-205).… More >

S. Namilae¹, U. Ch,ra², A Srinivasan³, N. Ch,ra⁴

CMES-Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences, Vol.22, No.3, pp. 189-202, 2007, DOI:10.3970/cmes.2007.022.189

Abstract Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations play an important predictive role in understanding the behavior of nanoscale systems. In this paper, parallel MD simulations are used to understand the mechanical behavior of interfaces in CNT based composites. We present an algorithm for parallel implementation of MD simulations of carbon nanotube (CNT) based systems using reactive bond order potentials. We then use that algorithm to model the CNT-polymer interfaces with various levels of interaction as (a) described only by long range Van Der Waals interactions (b) chemically bonded with fixed matrix and (c) chemically bonded with matrix explicitly More >

D. Moens¹, M. De Munck, D. Vandepitte

CMES-Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences, Vol.22, No.2, pp. 129-150, 2007, DOI:10.3970/cmes.2007.022.129

Abstract Recently, an interval finite element methodology has been developed to calculate envelope frequency response functions of uncertain structures with interval parameters. The methodology is based on a hybrid interval implementation of the modal superposition principle. This hybrid procedure consists of a preliminary optimization step, followed by an interval arithmetic procedure. The final envelope frequency response functions have been proved to give a very good approximation of the actual response range of the interval problem. Initially, this method was developed for undamped structures. Based on the theoretical principles of this approach, this paper introduces a new… More >

W.H. Chen¹, H.C. Cheng², Y.C. Hsu³

CMES-Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences, Vol.20, No.2, pp. 123-146, 2007, DOI:10.3970/cmes.2007.020.123

Abstract The evaluation of the fundamental mechanical properties of single/multi-walled carbon nanotubes(S/MWCNTs) is of great importance for their industrial applications. The present work is thus devoted to the determination of various mechanical properties of S/MWCNTs using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The study first focuses on the exploration of the effect of the weak inlayer van der Waals (vdW) atomistic interactions on the mechanical properties of S/MWCNTs. Secondly, in addition to the zig-zag and armchair types of CNTs, the hybrid type of MWCNTs that comprise a zig-zag outer tube and an inner armchair tube is also analyzed.… More >

A. Arockiarajan¹, A. Menzel²

CMES-Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences, Vol.20, No.1, pp. 55-72, 2007, DOI:10.3970/cmes.2007.020.055

Abstract To study rate-dependent properties of piezoelectric materials a micro-mechanically motivated model is applied in this work. The developed framework is embedded into a coupled three-dimensional finite element setting, whereby each element is assumed to represent one grain and, moreover, possesses a random initialisation of the underlying polarisation direction. Furthermore, an energy-based criterion is used for the initiation of the onset of domain switching and the subsequent propagation of domain wall motion during the switching process is modelled via a linear kinetics theory. The interaction between individual grains is thereby incorporated by means of a probabilistic More >

A. Arockiarajan¹, A. Menzel²

CMES-Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences, Vol.19, No.2, pp. 163-178, 2007, DOI:10.3970/cmes.2007.019.163

Abstract To study rate-dependent properties of piezoelectric materials a micro-mechanically motivated model is applied in this work. The developed framework is embedded into a coupled three-dimensional finite element setting, whereby each element is assumed to represent one grain and, moreover, possesses a random initialisation of the underlying polarisation direction. Furthermore, an energy-based criterion is used for the initiation of the onset of domain switching and the subsequent propagation of domain wall motion during the switching process is modelled via a linear kinetics theory. The interaction between individual grains is thereby incorporated by means of a probabilistic More >