PHENOMENOLOGICAL APPROACH TO HUMAN CHEST MODELING

Abstract

In this study, we propose a new phenomenological approach to human chest modeling. We model the chest as an elastic truss consisting of stiff beams connected by spherical joints that hinder the relative rotation of the beams. We used this model to simulate the rib flaring effect, which is a side effect for bracing treatment of patients with pectus carinatum. We used the Ansys software that allowed us to apply finite element method (FEM) to build the model of a chest of a real patient using geometry from the CT scan. We applied a compressive force to a keel of the model and observed the effect of rib flaring. We also examined the applicability of Ansys Mechanical for modeling trusses with beams and spiral springs. For this purpose, we built two simplified models of a system of two beams under compression and then compared the theoretical solution of its equilibrium problem with the solution obtained in Ansys.