Abstract
Abstract
For designers there is a desire to understand the nature of strength and dexterity with regards to ageing, since by 2020 it is estimated that the majority of the UK population will be over 50 and the ageing processes lead to changes in a person's ability to grasp and manipulate objects. To that end work has been ongoing by the authors to model the human hand using the technique of finite-element (FE) analysis. Initially simple FE models were produced until better knowledge of the necessary issues could be obtained. This incremental approach led to the understanding of the nature of gripping and manipulation of objects before moving on to detailed modelling of skin, joints, and tendons. As part of this work, the authors undertook a detailed study on the most appropriate methods for modelling the synovial joint. The methods chosen were the Lagrangian formulation, arbitrary Lagrangian formulation, smoothed particle hydrodynamics, along with a constrained joint model. Little previous work has been undertaken in this area and is of interest not only for biomechanics modellers, but also for simulation engineers looking to model fluid—structural interaction problems. It was found that the arbitrary Lagrangian Eulerian (ALE) model was probably the most successful when compared against the small amount of data available in the literature.
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