Comparison of Linear and Non-linear Constitutive Models for Aortic Valve Leaflets in a Finite Element Analysis of the Aortic Valve

Background. Finite element models of the aortic heart valve have been successfully used in the past to gain insight into valve mechanics and valve failure. Such models are indispensable tools for further developments in heart valve prosthetic design. In previous stress analyses linear elastic constitutive models have predominantly been used to model aortic valve leaflets, despite aortic valve tissue showing highly non-linear behaviour. In view of tissue engineering of heart valves, these linear constitutive models of aortic valve leaflets are not likely to produce results sufficiently accurate to correlate tissue behaviour with mechanical stimuli. Method of Approach. To study the effects of non–linear ma-terial behaviour on the results of stress analyses of the aortic valve, static finite element analyses of the valve including the aortic root and leaflets have been carried out. An isotropic linear elastic material model was assigned to the aortic root with Young’s mod-