Analysis of Large Deformations in a Net Structure (Towards Deformation Analysis in a Medical Device: Stent)

Abstract

In elements used as flexible linking devices and structures, the main characteristic is a fairly large deformations without exceeding the elastic limit of the material. This property is a matter of both analytical and technological interests. Previous studies of large deformation have been generally concerned with a single member (e.g. a cantilever beam, a simply supported beam, etc.). However, there are very few large deformation studies of assembled members such as frames (e.g., a medical device: stent, a carbon nanotube structure, a fishing net, a food net, a gabion, etc.) This paper deals with a square net structure with rigid joints, loaded diagonally in either tension or compression by a pair of opposite forces. Analytical solutions such as displacements, deflection angles and bending moments for large deformation are obtained in terms of elliptic integrals, and some solutions are compared with the experimental data. The conformity of the two results is found to be fair enough. Therefore, it is inferred that this analytical theory is effective for large deformation analysis of a stent.