Viscoelastic Properties of Soft Tissue by Discrete Model Characterization

Abstract

In order to study the response of the human body to acceleration and force, it is necessary to be able to relate force to deformation in various body tissues. Problems wherein this becomes essential include aerospace travel, crash injury research, and shock/vibration environments produced by mechanical systems. Since the tissues within the human body are viscoelastic in nature, it is important to apply proper viscoelastic relations when investigating the mechanics of deformation. This paper discusses on experimental technique for obtaining discrete viscoelastic models of soft biological tissues. The application of this experimental technique, using guinea pig skin as an example, is presented along with numerical results for the various viscoelastic parameters. A discussion of discrete viscoelastic modeling and the necessary mathematical equations for relating deformation to force is also included.