EVALUATION OF RESIDUAL-STRESS IN RABBIT SKIN AND THE RELEVANT MATERIAL CONSTANTS

Material constants are needed in order to evaluate stresses. The mater ial constants for orthotropic rabbit skin when residual stresses are e liminated, have been evaluated by Tong & Fung [(1976). J. Biomechanics 9, 649-657]. It is well documented that a circular skin sample taken from the human body becomes elliptical in shape. Thus, it is clear tha t there are residual stresses in human skin which need to be taken int o consideration when evaluating the material constants. In this paper, we therefore evaluate the material constants for rabbit skin taking i nto account residual stresses. (C) 1998 Academic Press Limited.