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Implications of multi‐asperity contact for shear stress distribution in the viable epidermis – An image‐based finite element study

Implications of multi‐asperity contact for shear stress distribution in the viable epidermis – An image‐based finite element study
Implications of multi‐asperity contact for shear stress distribution in the viable epidermis – An image‐based finite element study
Understanding load transfer mechanisms from the surface of the skin to its deeper layers is crucial in gaining a fundamental insight into damage phenomena related to skin tears, blisters and superficial/deep tissue ulcers. It is unknown how shear stresses in the viable epidermis are conditioned by the skin surface topography and internal microstructure and to which extent their propagation is conditioned by the size of a contacting asperities.

In this computational study, these questions were addressed by conducting a series of contact finite element analyses simulating normal indentation of an anatomically-based two-dimensional multi-layer model of the skin by rigid indenters of various sizes and sliding of these indenters over the skin surface. Indentation depths, local (i.e. microscopic) coefficients of friction and Young's modulus of the stratum corneum were also varied. For comparison purpose and for isolating effects arising purely from the skin microstructure, a geometrically-idealised equivalent multi-layer model of the skin was also considered.

The multi-asperity contact induced by the skin topographic features in combination with a non-idealised geometry of the skin layers lead to levels of shear stresses much higher than those produced in the geometrically-idealised case. These effects are also modulated by other system parameters (e.g. local coefficient of friction, indenter radius).

These findings have major implications for the design and analyses of finite element studies aiming at modelling the tribology of skin, particularly if the focus is on how surface shear stress leads to damage initiation which is a process known to occur across several length scales.
Skin, microstructure, contact mechanics, indentation, sliding contact, finite element, image‐based modelling
Leyva Mendivil, Maria F.
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Lengiewicz, Jakub
bc13a7e1-79c9-4565-8b0d-1866213e226e
Page, Anthony
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Bressloff, Neil W.
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Limbert, Georges
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Leyva Mendivil, Maria F.
fba10c34-a535-4033-a08f-1976da67e831
Lengiewicz, Jakub
bc13a7e1-79c9-4565-8b0d-1866213e226e
Page, Anthony
3b346d6a-855c-4838-a609-5eb40257e7c6
Bressloff, Neil W.
4f531e64-dbb3-41e3-a5d3-e6a5a7a77c92
Limbert, Georges
a1b88cb4-c5d9-4c6e-b6c9-7f4c4aa1c2ec

Leyva Mendivil, Maria F., Lengiewicz, Jakub, Page, Anthony, Bressloff, Neil W. and Limbert, Georges (2017) Implications of multi‐asperity contact for shear stress distribution in the viable epidermis – An image‐based finite element study. Biotribology. (doi:10.1016/j.biotri.2017.04.001).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Understanding load transfer mechanisms from the surface of the skin to its deeper layers is crucial in gaining a fundamental insight into damage phenomena related to skin tears, blisters and superficial/deep tissue ulcers. It is unknown how shear stresses in the viable epidermis are conditioned by the skin surface topography and internal microstructure and to which extent their propagation is conditioned by the size of a contacting asperities.

In this computational study, these questions were addressed by conducting a series of contact finite element analyses simulating normal indentation of an anatomically-based two-dimensional multi-layer model of the skin by rigid indenters of various sizes and sliding of these indenters over the skin surface. Indentation depths, local (i.e. microscopic) coefficients of friction and Young's modulus of the stratum corneum were also varied. For comparison purpose and for isolating effects arising purely from the skin microstructure, a geometrically-idealised equivalent multi-layer model of the skin was also considered.

The multi-asperity contact induced by the skin topographic features in combination with a non-idealised geometry of the skin layers lead to levels of shear stresses much higher than those produced in the geometrically-idealised case. These effects are also modulated by other system parameters (e.g. local coefficient of friction, indenter radius).

These findings have major implications for the design and analyses of finite element studies aiming at modelling the tribology of skin, particularly if the focus is on how surface shear stress leads to damage initiation which is a process known to occur across several length scales.

Text
BIOTRI_2016_33 Manuscript_Reviewed - Accepted Manuscript
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More information

Accepted/In Press date: 15 April 2017
e-pub ahead of print date: 5 May 2017
Additional Information: the following grants have supported this outpt: Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council [EP/F034296/1] Mexican National Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT) [311260]
Keywords: Skin, microstructure, contact mechanics, indentation, sliding contact, finite element, image‐based modelling
Organisations: nCATS Group, Computational Engineering & Design Group, Faculty of Engineering and the Environment

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 408594
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/408594
PURE UUID: 29496b18-8feb-4f05-b040-51b078789e80

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Date deposited: 25 May 2017 04:02
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 05:19

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Contributors

Author: Maria F. Leyva Mendivil
Author: Jakub Lengiewicz
Author: Anthony Page
Author: Georges Limbert

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