![]() Magliulo, Marco ![]() ![]() ![]() in Computer Methods and Programs in Biomedicine (2020), 196 Background and Objective This contribution presents a rapid computational framework to mechanically simulate the insertion of a slender medical instrument in a tubular structure such as an artery, the ... [more ▼] Background and Objective This contribution presents a rapid computational framework to mechanically simulate the insertion of a slender medical instrument in a tubular structure such as an artery, the cochlea or another slender instrument. Methods Beams are employed to rapidly simulate the mechanical behaviour of the medical instrument and the tubular structure. However, the framework’s novelty is its capability to handle the mechanical contact between an inner beam (representing the medical instrument) embedded in a hollow outer beam (representing the tubular structure). This “beam-inside-beam” contact framework, which forces two beams to remain embedded, is the first of its kind since existing contact frameworks for beams are “beam-to-beam” approaches, i.e. they repel beams from each other. Furthermore, we propose contact kinematics such that not only instruments and tubes with circular cross-sections can be considered, but also those with elliptical cross-sections. This provides flexibility for the optimization of patient-specific instruments. Results The results demonstrate that the framework’s robustness is substantial, because only a few increments per simulation and a few iterations per increment are required, even though large deformations, large rotations and large curvature changes of both the instrument and tubular structure occur. The stability of the framework remains high even if the modulus of the inner tube is thousand times larger than that of the outer tube. A mesh convergence study furthermore exposes that a relatively small number of elements is required to accurately approach the reference solution. Conclusions The framework’s high simulation speed originates from the exploitation of the rigidity of the beams’ cross-sections to quantify the exclusion between the inner and the hollow outer beam. This rigidity limits the accuracy of the framework at the same time, but this is unavoidable since simulation accuracy and simulation speed are two competing interests. Hence, the framework is particularly attractive if simulation speed is preferred over accuracy. [less ▲] Detailed reference viewed: 547 (31 UL)![]() Magliulo, Marco ![]() Doctoral thesis (2020) Numerous materials and structures are aggregates of slender bodies. We can, for example, refer to struts in metal foams, yarns in textiles, fibers in muscles or steel wires in wire ropes. To predict the ... [more ▼] Numerous materials and structures are aggregates of slender bodies. We can, for example, refer to struts in metal foams, yarns in textiles, fibers in muscles or steel wires in wire ropes. To predict the mechanical performance of these materials and structures, it is important to understand how the mechanical load is distributed between the different bodies. If one can predict which slender body is the most likely to fail, changes in the design could be made to enhance its performance. As the aggregates of slender bodies are highly complex, simulations are required to numerically compute their mechanical behaviour. The most widely employed computational framework is the Finite Element Method in which each slender body is modeled as a series of beam elements. On top of an accurate mechanical representation of the individual slender bodies, the contact between the slender bodies must often be accurately modeled. In the past couple of decades, contact between beam elements has received wide-spread attention. However, the focus was mainly directed towards beams with circular cross-sections, whereas elliptical cross-sections are also relevant for numerous applications. Only two works have considered contact between beams with elliptical cross-sections, but they are limited to point-wise contact, which restricts their applicability. In this Ph.D. thesis, different frameworks for beams with elliptical cross-sections are proposed in case a point-wise contact treatment is insufficient. The thesis also reports a framework for contact scenarios where a beam is embedded inside another beam, which is in contrast to conventional contact frameworks for beams in which penetrating beams are actively repelled from each other. Finally, two of the three contact frameworks are enhanced with frictional sliding, where friction not only occurs due to sliding in the beams’ longitudinal directions but also in the transversal directions. [less ▲] Detailed reference viewed: 153 (23 UL)![]() Magliulo, Marco ![]() ![]() ![]() in Acta Mechanica (2020), 231 Slender constituents are present in many structures and materials. In associated mechanical models, each slender constituent is often described with a beam. Contact between beams is essential to ... [more ▼] Slender constituents are present in many structures and materials. In associated mechanical models, each slender constituent is often described with a beam. Contact between beams is essential to incorporate in mechanical models, but associated contact frameworks are only demonstrated to work for beams with circular cross-sections. Only two studies have shown the ability to treat contact between beams with elliptical cross-sections, but those frameworks are limited to point-wise contact, which narrows their applicability. This contribution presents initial results of a framework for shear-deformable beams with elliptical cross-sections if contact occurs along a line or at an area (instead of at a point). This is achieved by integrating a penalty potential over one of the beams’ surfaces. Simo-Reissner Geometrically Exact Beam (GEB) elements are employed to discretise each beam. As the surface of an assembly of such beam elements is discontinuous, a smoothed surface is introduced to formulate the contact kinematics. This enables the treatment of contact for large sliding displacements and substantial deformations. [less ▲] Detailed reference viewed: 196 (8 UL)![]() Magliulo, Marco ![]() ![]() ![]() in Computational Mechanics (2020), 65 The key novelty of this contribution is a dedicated technique to e fficiently determine the distance (gap) function between parallel or almost parallel beams with circular and elliptical cross-sections ... [more ▼] The key novelty of this contribution is a dedicated technique to e fficiently determine the distance (gap) function between parallel or almost parallel beams with circular and elliptical cross-sections. The technique consists of parametrizing the surfaces of the two beams in contact, fixing a point on the centroid line of one of the beams and searching for a constrained minimum distance between the surfaces (two variants are investigated). The resulting unilateral (frictionless) contact condition is then enforced with the Penalty method, which introduces compliance to the, otherwise rigid, beams' cross-sections. Two contact integration schemes are considered: the conventional slave-master approach (which is biased as the contact virtual work is only integrated over the slave surface) and the so-called two-half-pass approach (which is unbiased as the contact virtual work is integrated over the two contacting surfaces). Details of the finite element formulation which is suitably implemented using Automatic Di fferentiation techniques are presented. A set of numerical experiments shows the overall performance of the framework and allows a quantitative comparison of the investigated variants. [less ▲] Detailed reference viewed: 179 (50 UL)![]() Magliulo, Marco ![]() ![]() ![]() in Proceedings in Applied Mathematics and Mechanics (2019) In this contribution, we introduce a contact formulation between beams finite elements with (hyper)elliptical cross sections. The contact scheme allows to model scenarios in which the contact area is ... [more ▼] In this contribution, we introduce a contact formulation between beams finite elements with (hyper)elliptical cross sections. The contact scheme allows to model scenarios in which the contact area is finite or the contact area occurs along a line. Although some contact schemes are yet able to do this, they require one of the beams to have a circular cross section. Here however, we focus on non-circular cross-sections. Consequently, new projections are required, in which the beam surfaces are used explicitly to formulate contact kinematics. [less ▲] Detailed reference viewed: 161 (14 UL)![]() Magliulo, Marco ![]() ![]() ![]() Scientific Conference (2018, March) Detailed reference viewed: 80 (1 UL)![]() Magliulo, Marco ![]() ![]() ![]() Speeches/Talks (2016) Short Presentation on the Quasi-continuum method Detailed reference viewed: 351 (33 UL) |
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