Analysis of elastic and surface tension effects in the lung alveolus using finite element methods.

Displacement method finite element theory is used to examine the structural and elastic properties of the constituent network of elastin and collagen of the alveoli that form the mammalian lung. The role of the surface tension of pulmonary surfactant of the lung is also examined using an area-dependent relationship inferred from experimental studies. The pressure-volume (PV) curves of the resulting model are found to compare favourably with measured pressure-volume curves for whole lungs filled with air (surface tension included) and saline (no surface tension effects).