FEBio - Finite Elements for Biomechanics and Biophysics

描述（由申请人提供）：本提案的总体目标是开发一个可免费获得的、可扩展的有限元建模框架，用于生物细胞、组织和器官中的固体力学、流体力学、溶质传输和电动力学。到目前为止，还没有这样的工具在公共领域普遍使用。所有的发展将专门设计，以满足在计算生物力学领域的研究需求。所有开发都将基于我们的非线性隐式有限元软件FEBio和相关的前处理器和后处理器PreView和PostView。在目标1中，我们将扩展FEBio有限元框架，以表示由固体基质，溶剂和任何数量的溶质组成的混合物。目标2将侧重于算法的开发和实施，以代表固体和具有固体基质的混合物之间的接触，适当考虑接触混合物之间的质量和动量守恒。为了适应自动四面体网格生成，Aim 3将在FEBio中实现一个强大的增强应变四面体单元，该单元可以适应固体和混合物的物理特性。在目标4中，我们将扩展现有的预处理和后处理软件包，以支持四面体网格生成，混合物的边界条件，各向异性固体基质和传输特性，以及可变的混合物成分的规范。最后，Aim 5将为FEBio的用户和开发人员支持、软件分发、验证和传播提供机制。对生命系统及其周围环境的生物力学和生物物理学进行准确、定量的模拟，有可能促进医学和生物学几乎各个方面的进步。该项目的结果将为生物力学和生物物理学研究提供一个强大而重要的建模框架，能够解决跨越NIH研究所任务的应用程序。公共卫生相关性：该应用程序的总体目标是开发一个免费提供的，可扩展的有限元建模框架，用于生物细胞，组织和器官中的固体力学，流体力学，溶质传输和电动力学，基于FEBio框架。这项研究的结果将为生物力学提供一个强大而重要的建模软件工具，并为所有生物工程师提供一个通用平台，其应用程序涵盖NIH研究所的任务。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The overall aim of this proposal is to develop a freely available, extensible finite element modeling framework for solid mechanics, fluid mechanics, solute transport, and electrokinetics in biological cells, tissues and organs. To date, no such tools are available for general use in the public domain. All development will be designed specifically to meet the needs of research in the field of computational biomechanics. All development will based around our nonlinear implicit finite element software FEBio and the associated pre- and postprocessors, PreView and PostView. In Aim 1, we will extend the FEBio finite element framework to the representation of mixtures consisting of solid matrix, solvent, and any number of solutes. Aim 2 will focus on development and implementation of algorithms to represent contact between solids and mixtures having a solid matrix, properly accounting for conservation of mass and momentum between contacting mixtures. To accommodate automatic tetrahedral mesh generation, Aim 3 will implement a robust, enhanced-strain tetrahedral element in FEBio that can accommodate the physics of both solids and mixtures. In Aim 4, we will expand our existing pre- and postprocessing software packages to support tetrahedral mesh generation, specification of boundary conditions on mixtures, anisotropic solid matrix and transport properties, and variable mixture constituents. Finally, Aim 5 will provide mechanisms for user and developer support, software distribution, verification and dissemination of FEBio. Accurate, quantitative simulations of the biomechanics and biophysics of living systems and their surrounding environment have the potential to facilitate advancements in nearly every aspect of medicine and biology. The results of this project will yield a powerful and essential modeling framework for research in biomechanics and biophysics, with the ability to address applications that span the missions of the NIH Institutes. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The overall aim of this application is to develop a freely available, extensible finite element modeling framework for solid mechanics, fluid mechanics, solute transport, and electrokinetics in biological cells, tissues and organs, based around the FEBio framework. The results of this research will provide a powerful and essential modeling software tool for biomechanics and provide a common platform for all bioengineers, with applications that span the missions of the NIH Institutes.