Mechanical performance and negative pressure instability for venous walls

Abstract

Mechanical properties, such as the deformation and stress distributions for venous walls under the combined load of transmural pressure and axial stretch, are examined within the framework of nonlinear elasticity with one kind of hyper-elastic strain energy functions. The negative pressure instability problem of the venous wall is explained through energy comparison. First, the deformation equation of the venous wall under the combined loads is obtained with a thin-walled circular cylindrical tube. The deformation curves and the stress distributions for the venous wall are given under the normal transmural pressure, and the regulations are discussed. Then, the deformation curves of the venous wall under the negative transmural pressure or the internal pressure less than the external pressure are given. Finally, the negative pressure instability problem is discussed through energy comparison.