Predictions of aneurysm formation in distensible tubes: part A - theoretical background to alternative approaches

This paper presents the theoretical background of three different numerical techniques used to estimate the critical pressure level responsible for aneurysm formation in a distensible tube. A simple theoretical model based on thin-walled pressure vessel is assessed against the axisymmetric membrane theory and the finite element method based on a hybrid formulation for hyperelastic materials. The investigation explores the effect of several strain energy functions on the critical pressure for aneurysm, and the results are of generic values in related engineering and biomedical applications.