Philip Cardiff

Development of a Hip Joint Model for Finite Volume Simulations

This paper establishes a procedure for numerical analysis of a hip joint using the finite volume method. Patient-specific hip joint geometry is segmented directly from computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging datasets and the resulting bone surfaces are processed into a form suitable for volume meshing. A high resolution continuum tetrahedral mesh has been generated, where a sandwich model approach is adopted; the bones are represented as a stiffer cortical shells surrounding more flexible cancellous cores. Cartilage is included as a uniform thickness extruded layer and the effect of layer thickness is investigated. To realistically position the bones, gait analysis has been performed giving the 3D positions of the bones for the full gait cycle. Three phases of the gait cycle are examined using a finite volume based custom structural contact solver implemented in open-source software OpenFOAM.

Interfacial separation of a mature biofilm from a glass surface - A combined experimental and cohesive zone modelling approach

A good understanding of the mechanical stability of biofilms is essential for biofouling management, particularly when mechanical forces are used. Previous biofilm studies lack a damage-based theoretical model to describe the biofilm separation from a surface. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the interfacial separation of a mature biofilm from a rigid glass substrate using a combined experimental and numerical modelling approach. In the current work, the biofilm-glass interfacial separation process was investigated under tensile and shear stresses at the macroscale level, known as modes I and II failure mechanisms respectively. The numerical simulations were performed using a Finite Volume (FV)-based simulation package (OpenFOAM®) to predict the separation initiation using the cohesive zone model (CZM). Atomic force microscopy (AFM)-based retraction curve was used to obtain the separation properties between the biofilm and glass colloid at microscale level, where the CZM parameters were estimated using the Johnson-Kendall-Roberts (JKR) model. In this study CZM is introduced as a reliable method for the investigation of interfacial separation between a biofilm and rigid substrate, in which a high local stress at the interface edge acts as an ultimate stress at the crack tip.This study demonstrated that the total interfacial failure energy measured at the macroscale, was significantly higher than the pure interfacial separation energy obtained by AFM at the microscale, indicating a highly ductile deformation behaviour within the bulk biofilm matrix. The results of this study can significantly contribute to the understanding of biofilm detachments.

Development of mapped stress-field boundary conditions based on a Hill-type muscle model

Forces generated in the muscles and tendons actuate the movement of the skeleton. Accurate estimation and application of these musculotendon forces in a continuum model is not a trivial matter. Frequently, musculotendon attachments are approximated as point forces; however, accurate estimation of local mechanics requires a more realistic application of musculotendon forces. This paper describes the development of mapped Hill-type muscle models as boundary conditions for a finite volume model of the hip joint, where the calculated muscle fibres map continuously between attachment sites. The applied muscle forces are calculated using active Hill-type models, where input electromyography signals are determined from gait analysis. Realistic muscle attachment sites are determined directly from tomography images. The mapped muscle boundary conditions, implemented in a finite volume structural OpenFOAM (ESI-OpenCFD, Bracknell, UK) solver, are employed to simulate the mid-stance phase of gait using a patient-specific natural hip joint, and a comparison is performed with the standard point load muscle approach. It is concluded that physiological joint loading is not accurately represented by simplistic muscle point loading conditions; however, when contact pressures are of sole interest, simplifying assumptions with regard to muscular forces may be valid.

Damage behaviour of nano-modified epoxy adhesives subject to high stress constraint

ABSTRACT This paper presents a combined experimental and numerical study on the damage behaviour of core–shell rubber (CSR)-modified epoxy adhesives subject to high stress constraints. The test method consists of a notched axisymmetric adhesive layer loaded in tension. The stress–displacement curves of the rubber-modified adhesives have been found to exhibit a sudden reduction in stiffness after an initial linear loading region. It has been demonstrated that this corresponds to the cavitation of the rubber particles. The stress of rubber cavitation remained essentially constant at a critical hydrostatic stress of approximately 21 MPa over different rubber contents and different stress constraints. It is important to note that the rubber cavitation stress is also dependent on the size of the rubber particles, and the diameter of the rubber core is approximately 170 nm in current work. The stress constraint had negligible effect on the failure strength of the adhesive joints for the studied systems.

Evolving an Aircraft Using a Parametric Design System

Traditional CAD tools generate a static solution to a design problem. Parametric systems allow the user to explore many variations on that design theme. Such systems make the computer a generative design tool and are already used extensively as a rapid prototyping technique in architecture and aeronautics. Combining a design generation tool with an evolutionary algorithm provides a methodology for optimising designs. This works uses NASA’s parametric aircraft design tool (OpenVSP) and an evolutionary algorithm to evolve a range of aircraft that maximise lift and reduce drag while remaining within the framework of the original design. Our approach allows the designer to automatically optimise their chosen design and to generate models with improved aerodynamic efficiency.