Determining hyperelastic properties of the constituents of the mussel byssus system

Abstract

The mussel byssus system, comprising the adhesive plaque, distal thread, and proximal thread, plays a crucial role in the survival of marine mussels amongst ocean waves. Whilst recent research has explored the stress–strain behaviour of the distal thread and proximal thread through experimental approaches, little attention has been paid to the potential analytical or modelling methods within the current literature. In this work, analytical and finite element (FE) inverse methods were employed for the first time to identify the hyperelastic mechanical properties of both the plaque portion and the proximal thread. The results have demonstrated the feasibility of applied inverse methods in determining the mechanical properties of the constituents of the mussel byssus system, with the residual sum of squares of 0.0004 (N²) and 0.01 (mm²) for the proximal thread and the plaque portion, respectively. By leveraging mechanical and optical tests, this inverse methodology offers a simple and powerful means to anticipate the material properties for different portions of the mussel byssus system, thus providing insights into mimetic applications in engineering and material design.