Mechanical Integrity Reduction in the Polymeric-pulsatile-pressurized Vessel under Strain-induced Degradation Model

This paper studies the mechanical behavior of a polymeric degradable vessel subjected to internal pulsatile pressure, external pressure, and axial elongation. Two deformation-induced evolution laws are selected to investigate time-position-dependent material properties of the polymeric vessel. The vessel is subjected to the neo-Hookean constitutive model and an axisymmetric condition. To simulate finite deformation in the degradable vessel, FlexPDE commercial software is invoked in which the governing equations are solved by Standard Galerkin Finite Element Method (SGFEM). Results show that stresses pulsationally increase during degradation. Deformation response of the degradable vessel against time reveals the creep-like behavior of degradable polymers. Degradation rate begins from an initial peak value and decreases over time. The impact of degradation on invariants of the deformation tensor versus time and the vessel radius is discussed. Degradation evolution is higher in the outer radius of the vessel because of higher deformation in this region.