Today, guest blogger Björn Fallqvist of Lightness by Design, a COMSOL Certified Consultant, discusses using simulation to provide insight into the mechanical behavior of cells. Biological cells are essential for life as we know it. They not only store and replicate hereditary information in the form of DNA but also are instrumental in biological processes. In most, if not all, of these processes, the mechanical behavior of cells is a main factor in ensuring normal physiological functions.

Optimizing fuel for nuclear reactors can increase the amount of power they generate, improve their safety, and lower greenhouse gas emissions. However, studying nuclear fuel can be complex, as it involves interactions between multiple physical phenomena. In his keynote talk from the COMSOL Conference 2017 Boston, Andrew Prudil of Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) discussed using multiphysics models to gain insight into nuclear fuel. If you missed his presentation, find a video recording and summary below.

Many polymers and biological tissues exhibit viscoelastic deformation, which has a time-dependent response even if the loading is constant in time. Linear viscoelasticity, where the stress depends linearly on the strain and strain rate, is a common approximation. We usually assume that the viscous part of the deformation is incompressible, so the volumetric deformation is purely elastic. As of COMSOL Multiphysics® 5.2a, you can model large-strain viscoelasticity besides linear viscoelasticity. See how to use this material model in a biomedical […]

Pressure vessels are designed to confine liquids or gases. These containers are used in nuclear plants, throughout the chemical and petroleum industries, and even as water heaters in homes. In principle, the vessels’ internal pressure is much higher (or sometimes lower) than the ambient pressure, so the vessels must be carefully designed, as failure can result in severe damage. Today, we’ll show you how to use the Application Builder in COMSOL Multiphysics to create an efficient and accurate design workflow.

When performing structural mechanics analyses, you will inevitably encounter the concept of geometric nonlinearity. In this blog post, we discuss what is meant by geometric nonlinearity and when you should take this effect into consideration.

The physics behind filling a water balloon seem simple at first glance, but involve a rather complex interplay of fluid flow and a nonlinear hyperelastic material. Fortunately, it is easy to set up and solve this type of model in the COMSOL Multiphysics® software. Let’s see how…

In the last seven years, the output of the manufacturing industry has increased by a total of around 10–20%. This growth is partly thanks to technologies and processes that save on time and costs, such as 3D printing and, as is described here, powder compaction. To model this process, we can use the new porous plasticity models in the latest version of the COMSOL Multiphysics® software.

For gas pipeline maintenance standards, the adage “rules are meant to be broken” may not apply, but “rules are meant to be updated” certainly does. Specifically, the generous distance requirements between pipeline squeeze-off locations and pipe fittings cause potentially unnecessary digging. This prompted Operations Technology Development (OTD), a partnership of natural gas distribution companies, to initiate a project with Gas Technology Institute (GTI), where researchers used simulation to investigate the standard distance requirements for streamlined and safe pipeline maintenance.

Arteries are designed to carry blood containing oxygen and nutrients from the heart to other areas of the body. Studying this biological soft tissue from a mechanical standpoint requires a reliable model that can fully describe the arteries’ anisotropic nonlinear response. Our tutorial of arterial wall mechanics illustrates such a design.

Piezoelectric valves are opened and closed by stacked piezoelectric actuators that are positioned above a seal. By applying a voltage to the stacked piezoelectric actuator, it can be made to expand or contract and the resulting deformation is used to open and close the valve. In this blog post, we feature a tutorial model of a stacked piezoelectric actuator in a pneumatic valve, new with COMSOL Multiphysics version 5.1.