Hierarchical modeling of elastic moduli of equine hoof wall.
Abstract: This study predicts analytically effective elastic moduli of substructures within an equine hoof wall. The hoof wall is represented as a composite material with a hierarchical structure comprised of a sequence of length scales. A bottom-up approach is employed. Thus, the outputs from a lower spatial scale serve as the inputs for the following scale. The models include the Halpin-Tsai model, composite cylinders model, a sutured interface model, and classical laminate theory. The length scales span macroscale, mesoscale, sub-mesoscale, microscale, sub-microscale, and nanoscale. The macroscale represents the hoof wall, consisting of tubules within a matrix at the mesoscale. At the sub-mesoscale, a single hollow tubule is reinforced by a tubule wall made of lamellae; the surrounding intertubular material also has a lamellar structure. The lamellae contain sutured and layered cells at the microscale. A single cell is made of crystalline macrofibrils arranged in an amorphous matrix at the sub-microscale. A macrofibril contains aligned crystalline rod-like intermediate filaments at the nanoscale. Experimentally obtained parameters are used in the modeling as inputs for geometry and nanoscale properties. The predicted properties of the hoof wall material agree with experimental measurements at the mesoscale and macroscale. We observe that the hierarchical structure of the hoof wall leads to a decrease in the elastic modulus with increasing scale, from the nanoscale to the macroscale. Such behavior is an intrinsic characteristic of hierarchical biological materials. This study can serve as a framework for designing impact-resistant hoof-inspired materials and structures.
Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2022-10-23 PubMed ID: 36327663DOI: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2022.105529Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- U.S. Gov't
- Non-P.H.S.
Summary
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The research article examines the structure of an equine hoof wall to predict its elasticity at various scales. Essentially, the study indicates that the elasticity of the horse’s hoof wall decreases as the scale increases, highlighting an intrinsic trait present in hierarchical biological materials.
Objective of the Study
- The study aimed to predict the elastic moduli of various substructures within an equine hoof wall. A hierarchical approach was followed where the hoof wall was looked at as a composite material with structures at multiple scales, starting from the nanoscale up to the macroscale.
Research Approach
- The research utilized a bottom-up approach, meaning that the results or outputs derived from a lower spatial scale are used as the inputs for the subsequent scale.
- This approach used several models: the Halpin-Tsai model, composite cylinders model, a sutured interface model, and classical laminate theory to analyze the elasticity at each scale.
- The parameters obtained from experiments were used as input values for the geometrical and nanoscale properties.
Hierarchical Structure Analysis
- The hoof wall, considered at the macroscale, is made up of tubules within a matrix looked at the mesoscale.
- A single hollow tubule, studied at the sub-mesoscale, is reinforced by a wall composed of lamellae, with an adjacent intertubular material also having a similar lamellar structure.
- The lamellae contain sutured and layered cells studied at the microscale.
- At the sub-microscale, a single cell is made of crystalline macrofibrils arranged in an amorphous matrix.
- The macrofibril, studied at the nanoscale, consists of aligned crystalline, rod-like intermediate filaments.
Key Findings
- The elasticity of the hoof wall material was predicted to decrease with the increase in scale.
- This behavior, outlined by the study, corroborates with the experimental results at the mesoscale and macroscale, confirming this to be an intrinsic characteristic of hierarchical biological materials.
Implications of the Study
- This study provides essential insights into designing impact-resistant, hoof-inspired materials and structures.
- It lays a groundwork for subsequent research on other biological materials with similar hierarchical structures.
Cite This Article
APA
Shiang CA, Bonney C, Lazarus B, Meyers M, Jasiuk I.
(2022).
Hierarchical modeling of elastic moduli of equine hoof wall.
J Mech Behav Biomed Mater, 136, 105529.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmbbm.2022.105529 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Dept. of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, USA.
- Dept. of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, USA.
- Materials Science and Engineering Program, University of California, San Diego, USA.
- Materials Science and Engineering Program, University of California, San Diego, USA; Dept. of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, San Diego, USA; Dept. of Nanoengineering, University of California, San Diego, USA.
- Dept. of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, USA. Electronic address: ijasiuk@illinois.edu.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Horses
- Elastic Modulus
- Hoof and Claw
Conflict of Interest Statement
Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
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