Fracture in soft elastic materials: Continuum description, molecular aspects and applications

Spagnoli, Andrea; Brighenti, Roberto; Cosma, Mattia Pancrazio; Terzano, Michele

doi:10.1016/bs.aams.2021.07.001

Cited by 5 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 75 publications

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“…In addition to addressing limitations of this work, future research should also explore how models could predict fracture of uterine and C-section scar tissue to understand the mechanisms of uterine rupture. The fracture of highly deformable soft materials is an ongoing important field of research [30,31]. Developing predictive theories of soft material fracture is challenging due to the nonlinear and dissipative deformation involved [30].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biomechanical Modeling of Cesarean Section Scars and Scar Defects

Scott,

Louwagie,

Myers

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Uterine rupture is an intrinsically biomechanical process associated with high maternal and fetal mortality. A previous Cesarean section (C-section) is the main risk factor for uterine rupture in a subsequent pregnancy due to tissue failure at the scar region. Finite element modeling of the uterus and scar tissue presents a promising method to further understand and predict uterine ruptures. Using patient dimensions of an at-term uterus, a C-section scar was modeled with an applied intrauterine pressure to study how scars affect uterine stress. The scar positioning and uterine thickness were varied, and a thickness defect was incorporated into the scar region. The modeled stress distributions confirmed clinical observations as the increased regions of stress due to scar positioning, thinning of the uterine walls, and the presence of a defect are consistent with clinical observations of features that increase the risk of uterine rupture.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biomechanical Modeling of Cesarean Section Scars and Scar Defects

Scott,

Louwagie,

Myers

et al. 2023

Preprint

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“…A model to describe the crack‐tip blunting was recently proposed by the authors 12 . Below, we briefly summarize this approach and compare its predictions with experiments and FE analyses.…”

Section: Model Of Crack‐tip Bluntingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The peculiarity of the crack‐tip region in soft materials has been comprehensively reviewed by Long et al, 11 while a recent review of fracture in soft elastic materials can be found in the authors' work 12 . The asymptotic stress field is drastically different from that of LEFM and is strongly affected by strain hardening.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Through refined finite element (FE) analyses at the crack tip, we obtain the deformed profiles of the crack under mode I loading and compute a local radius of curvature at the crack tip, which provides a measure of the elastic blunting of the crack under loading. In order to investigate the implications of this blunting on crack propagation and flaw tolerance, we apply a recently proposed geometrically nonlinear model 12 and compare its predictions to experiments on silicone specimens containing cracks. The final discussion attempts to highlight the relevance of nonlinearity and blunting in order to understand fracture of soft tissues.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Crack‐tip blunting and its implications on fracture of soft materials

Spagnoli

Brighenti

Montanari

et al. 2023

Fatigue Fract Eng Mat Struct

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Fracture of compliant materials is preceded by large deformations that reshape initially sharp cracks into rounded defects. This phenomenon, known as elastic crack blunting, is peculiar of rubber-like polymers and soft biological tissues, such as skin, vessel walls, and tendons. With this work, we aim to provide a discussion on crack-tip blunting and its implications in terms of tearing resistance and flaw tolerance of soft elastic materials. The characteristic features of the crack-tip zone in the framework of nonlinear elasticity are reviewed analytically and with the help of finite element analyses on pure shear cracked geometries. Specifically, the strain-hardening behavior typical of soft biological tissues is addressed, and we illustrate its effect on crack-tip blunting, in terms of a local radius of curvature at the crack tip. A simplified

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“…41 The complexities of fracture in soft materials are well-known and it is reasonable to assume that some peculiar aspects, including large deformation prior to crack propagation and rate-dependent effects, persist during puncturing. For recent accounts on this topic, the reader is referred to the reviews by Long and Hui 42 and Spagnoli et al 43 In particular, Spagnoli et al 43 have shown how the blunting of a crack tip due to large deformations interacts with a characteristic size of the indenter in determining the condition for penetration. Depending on the mechanical properties of the tissue, the size of the indenter can act as a limiting constraint on the free blunting of the crack, as previously suggested by Hui et al 44 This latter aspect is crucial in discriminating between puncturing and tearing as distinct failure modes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%