Biomechanical simulation of thorax deformation using finite element approach

Abstract

Thorax deformation can be simulated by modelling the respiratory muscles according to continuum mechanics and by introducing muscle contractions. The reproduction of representative motions of the ribs and diaphragm and the comparison of the thorax deformations during normal quiet breathing with 4D-CT images demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed approach. This work may provide a platform for establishing a computational mechanics model of the human respiratory system.