Viscoelasticity

Isotropic time-dependent linear viscoelasticity is the part of the material constitutive behavior that damps out the high-frequency response during ventricular systole (contraction). See “Time domain viscoelasticity” in the Abaqus Materials Guide.

While cardiac tissue is generally known to exhibit viscoelastic behavior, suitable experimental data on cardiac viscoelasticity were not available. Hence, the Heart Model incorporates a small amount of viscoelasticity to eliminate unrealistic transient behavior.