A mechanical model of soft biological tissue--an application to lung parenchyma.
This paper presents a fractal mechanical model for branching systems, with application to the respiratory system. Assuming a dichotomously branching tree, each airway tube is modeled by a Kelvin-Voigt model (a spring in parallel with a dashpot) using morphological values. The model allows investigations on the viscoelastic properties within the context of inter-connections between levels of the respiratory tree. The results are in agreement with physiological expectancy. The model presented in this paper can also serve to derive a mechanical model for other branching systems, i.e. the circulatory system.
De Geeter
Nele
N
Faculty of Engineering, Department of Electrical energy, Systems & Automation, Ghent University, Technologiepark 913, 9052 Ghent, Belgium. Nele.DeGeeter@UGent.be
Ionescu
Clara
C
De Keyser
Robin
R
D000465:Algorithms; D001698:Biomedical Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D004548:Elasticity; D004594:Electrophysiology / Q000379:methods; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D011659:Pulmonary Gas Exchange; D012137:Respiratory System; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D012984:Software; D013314:Stress, Mechanical