Tensile loading of a second-order elastic biogel

• Main Author: Soh, Jervis Kah Sheng
• Other Authors: Wu Mao See
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2024
• Subjects: Engineering
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/176657
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Understanding the mechanical behavior of soft materials is crucial for various engineering applications, particularly in fields such as soft robotics and tissue engineering. This study explores the concept of energy density function and its relevance in characterizing the elastic properties of soft materials. Soft robotics relies on materials that can deform and adapt to various shapes and forces, mimicking the flexibility and dexterity of biological organisms. Tissue engineering, on the other hand, aims to develop biomimetic constructs that can interact seamlessly with living tissues. The Lame constants, which are fundamental parameters in linear elasticity theory, play a vital role in defining the material's response to mechanical deformation in both soft robotics and tissue engineering applications. By comprehensively examining the relationship between energy density function, Lamé's constants, and elastic constants in these contexts, this research sheds light on the underlying mechanisms governing the elastic behavior of soft materials. Insights gained from this analysis provide a deeper understanding of how soft materials deform under different loading conditions, offering valuable guidance for the design and optimization of soft material-based systems in areas such as soft robotics and tissue engineering.