Constitutive model of tendon responses to multiple cyclic demands (II) - theory and comparison

摘要

The hereditary integral form of a quasi-linear viscoelastic law has been employed. Four new concepts have been employed: 1. a reduced relaxation function with a non-linear exponential function of time, 2. an inverse method to determine the scale factor of the elastic response, 3. an instant elastic recovery strain during unloading, and 4. the results of a constitutive model for cyclic tests may be a function of the Heavyside class. These concepts have been supported by agreement between measured and predicted responses of soft connective tissue to three types of multiple cyclic tests which include rest periods of no extension and alternations between different strain levels. Such agreement has not been attained in the previous studies. Chun and Hubbard (2001) is our companion experimental analysis paper.