Modeling of Wound Closures under Uniaxial Tensile Loading

Class: BE210
Group: 101_A3
Members:

Dan Hoang

Tefesehet Mesfin

Lindsay Pordon

Ryan Stuckert

Date: April 2006

Powerpoint Presentation
Full Text

The aim of this experiment is to determine the optimum closure method out of the two used, sutures and staples. The closure method that requires a higher force for failure is considered the optimum closure, because it describes the more force-resistant material. The type of failure, whether punching or tearing sideways at failure point, would be analyzed at a future time.

It is hypothesized that the suturing method would result in a more optimum closure than the stapes under uniaxial tensile stress. The threads used in the suturing technique form loops which, as a result, close the wound from the front and back side. On the contrary, the staples only close the wound from the front side. Consequently, the sutures should be able to withstand a greater force than the staples.

From the limited amount of knowledge about the material properties of the rubber, it is difficult to hypothesize the type of failure to be expected. If the material exhibits the properties of fiber-like materials aligned parallel to the direction of force applied then punching through will result. If the fibers are aligned across the wound then tearing along the wound should occur. Lastly, if the rubber has a matrix-like structure it is not possible to determine the failure type. The successive pictures taken before and after failure while under uniaxial stress would clearly show the type of failure. The dominance of one type of failure over the other closure method would be analyzed. For example, if the rubber sample punches through all the samples with staples, and tears in the sutures, it is up to the experimenter to decide which method of closure for the wounds is better.