Implementation of skeletal muscle model with advanced activation control

Abstract

The paper summarizes main principles of an advanced skeletal muscle model. The proposed mathematical model is suitable for a 3D muscle representation. It respects the microstructure of the muscle which is represented by three basic components: active fibers, passive fibers and a matrix. For purposes of presented work the existing material models suitable for the matrix and passive fibers are used and a new active fiber model is proposed. The active fiber model is based on the sliding cross-bridge theory of contraction. This theory is often used in modeling of skeletal and cardiac muscle contractions. In this work, a certain simplification of the cross-bridge distribution function is proposed, so that the 3D computer implementation becomes feasible. The new active fiber model is implemented into our research finite element code. A simple 3D muscle bundle-like model is created and the implemented composite model (involving the matrix, passive and active fibers) is used to perform the isometric, concentric and excentric muscle contraction simulations.