A simple method for geometric modelling of biological structures using image processing technique

The exceptional mechanical performance and outstanding material properties of biological structures have attracted much attention during recent decades. Finite Element (FE) Method is one of the most useful tools for investigating the effects of different parameters on the mechanical behaviour of such complex structures. This method, however, presents a major challenge for engineers and scientists, because many biological structures have complex shapes and geometries that are almost impossible to be modelled by using traditional modelling techniques. In this paper, we present a simple modelling method which is applicable for two- and three-dimensional (2D and 3D) geometric modelling of planar structures that are mainly made of one or two materials. The results show that the proposed method, which employs a Digital Image Processing (DIP) technique, is successfully able to develop precise FE models of natural structures considering their complex shapes and corrugated patterns.