Finite element analysis of thermomechanical response in biological tissues under varying thermal conductivity

Abstract

This work offers numerical solutions within the framework of bio-thermoelastic model, addressing the bioheat transfer in living tissues due to laser irradiations, considering varying thermal conductivity. To carry out thermal therapy procedures efficiently, it is crucial to have a comprehensive understanding of both the thermal transmission mechanism and the subsequent mechanical and thermal interactions within the living tissues of the patient. Evaluating thermal injuries to the tissue requires assessing the extent of denatured proteins, employing the Arrhenius relation. Given the nonlinearity of the fundamental formulations, the finite element technique is employed to address and solve this problem. Graphical depictions of the numerical result portray the change in temperature, displacement, stress, and thermal damages in response to variations in thermal conductivity and thermal relaxation time. The findings obtained using the finite element approach are additionally compared with data from a pre-existing experimental data, confirming the numerical calculation accuracy through cross-referencing.