Length scales in the tear resistance of soft tissues and elastomers: a comparative study based on computational models

IF 2.2 3区工程技术 Q3 MATERIALS SCIENCE, MULTIDISCIPLINARY

International Journal of Fracture Pub Date : 2025-03-11 DOI:10.1007/s10704-025-00842-6

E. Kahle, R. Alberini, A. E. Ehret, E. Mazza, A. Spagnoli

{"title":"Length scales in the tear resistance of soft tissues and elastomers: a comparative study based on computational models","authors":"E. Kahle, R. Alberini, A. E. Ehret, E. Mazza, A. Spagnoli","doi":"10.1007/s10704-025-00842-6","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Fracture toughness describes a material’s ability to resist failure in the presence of defects. In case of soft biological tissues, a reliable determination and interpretation of the fracture properties is essential to estimate the risk of fracture after clinical interventions. Here we perform a comparative computational study between soft biological tissues and compliant elastomers to discuss the influence of material non-linearity on the crack tip nearfield. Using detailed finite element simulations, singular near-tip stress fields are obtained, and a so-called nonlinear region is identified. Additional focus is put on the effect of material nonlinearity on the phenomenon of elastic crack blunting, by analysing the deformed crack profile and extracting a radius of curvature at the tip. Through concepts of traditional fracture mechanics, we identify the size of the process zone and nonlinear elastic zone in biological tissues, juxtaposed with that of elastomers, demonstrating the limitations of the traditional metrics in capturing the remarkable defect tolerance of this highly nonlinear material class.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":590,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Fracture","volume":"250 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2000,"publicationDate":"2025-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10704-025-00842-6.pdf","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"International Journal of Fracture","FirstCategoryId":"5","ListUrlMain":"https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10704-025-00842-6","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"MATERIALS SCIENCE, MULTIDISCIPLINARY","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Fracture toughness describes a material’s ability to resist failure in the presence of defects. In case of soft biological tissues, a reliable determination and interpretation of the fracture properties is essential to estimate the risk of fracture after clinical interventions. Here we perform a comparative computational study between soft biological tissues and compliant elastomers to discuss the influence of material non-linearity on the crack tip nearfield. Using detailed finite element simulations, singular near-tip stress fields are obtained, and a so-called nonlinear region is identified. Additional focus is put on the effect of material nonlinearity on the phenomenon of elastic crack blunting, by analysing the deformed crack profile and extracting a radius of curvature at the tip. Through concepts of traditional fracture mechanics, we identify the size of the process zone and nonlinear elastic zone in biological tissues, juxtaposed with that of elastomers, demonstrating the limitations of the traditional metrics in capturing the remarkable defect tolerance of this highly nonlinear material class.

查看原文本刊更多论文

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

International Journal of Fracture 物理-材料科学：综合

CiteScore

4.80

自引率

8.00%

发文量

审稿时长

13.5 months

期刊介绍： The International Journal of Fracture is an outlet for original analytical, numerical and experimental contributions which provide improved understanding of the mechanisms of micro and macro fracture in all materials, and their engineering implications. The Journal is pleased to receive papers from engineers and scientists working in various aspects of fracture. Contributions emphasizing empirical correlations, unanalyzed experimental results or routine numerical computations, while representing important necessary aspects of certain fatigue, strength, and fracture analyses, will normally be discouraged; occasional review papers in these as well as other areas are welcomed. Innovative and in-depth engineering applications of fracture theory are also encouraged. In addition, the Journal welcomes, for rapid publication, Brief Notes in Fracture and Micromechanics which serve the Journal''s Objective. Brief Notes include: Brief presentation of a new idea, concept or method; new experimental observations or methods of significance; short notes of quality that do not amount to full length papers; discussion of previously published work in the Journal, and Brief Notes Errata.