| FEBio |
Computational modeling has become a standard methodology in biomechanics, both for interpreting experimental results and as an investigative approach. The finite element (FE) method is by far the most common numerical technique that is used for this purpose. Investigators have primarily used commercial software that is neither geared toward biological applications nor sufficiently flexible to follow the latest developments in the field. This lack of a tailored software environment has hampered research progress, as well as dissemination and sharing of models and results. To address these issues, we developed FEBio, a nonlinear implicit FE framework, designed specifically for analysis in computational solid biomechanics. FEBio supports several non-linear constitutive models such as isotropic hyperelasticity and several transversely isotropic hyperelastic models, which can be used to model materials such as muscles, ligaments, tendons. An active contraction model is also available for use with the anisotropic materials. This can be used e.g. to model active contraction of skeletal and cardiac muscle. FEBio also supports a poro-elastic constitutive model useful for simulating materials that consist of both a solid and a fluid phase (e.g. articular cartilage). Rigid bodies are available as well and can be linked together using kinematic joints or can be connected to deformable bodies. FEBio supports a wide set of boundary conditions, such as prescribed displacements, nodal forces and pressure forces. A general frictionless contact-model is available to support more complex boundary conditions such as sliding interfaces. To facilitate problem development and post-processing of the results we have also developed a pre- and postprocessor, named PreView and PostView respectively. Both software programs offer the user a graphical user interface. All the software is available free of charge from our website (http://mrl.sci.utah.edu). |
