Constitutive Relation for Cryopreserved Rabbit Carotid Arteries and its Application

To characterize quantitatively the viscoelastic behaviors of cryopreserved rabbit carotid arteries, five mechanical models, i.e. standard linear model, and four kinds of generalized Maxwell models, were comparatively applied. Specific aim of this study was to test the validity of these models to simulate the stress relaxation behaviors of the cryopreserved arteries and to find a best-fit model for identification of viscoelastic parameters. Non-linear curve fittings were applied to the stress-relaxation data measured with dynamic mechanical thermal analyzer (DMTA IV; Rheometric. Scientific Inc.; Piscataway, NJ, USA), it was found that 5-element model (generalized Maxwell body composed of an elastic element and two Kelvin body) could provide satisfactory description of the cryopreserved rabbit carotid arteries.