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Tear resistance of soft collagenous tissues

Author

Listed:
  • Kevin Bircher

    (ETH Zurich, Institute for Mechanical Systems)

  • Manuel Zündel

    (ETH Zurich, Institute for Mechanical Systems)

  • Marco Pensalfini

    (ETH Zurich, Institute for Mechanical Systems)

  • Alexander E. Ehret

    (ETH Zurich, Institute for Mechanical Systems
    Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology)

  • Edoardo Mazza

    (ETH Zurich, Institute for Mechanical Systems
    Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology)

Abstract

Fracture toughness characterizes the ability of a material to maintain a certain level of strength despite the presence of a macroscopic crack. Understanding this tolerance for defects in soft collagenous tissues (SCT) has high relevance for assessing the risks of fracture after cutting, perforation or suturing. Here we investigate the peculiar toughening mechanisms of SCT through dedicated experiments and multi-scale simulations, showing that classical concepts of fracture mechanics are inadequate to quantify and explain the high defect tolerance of these materials. Our results demonstrate that SCT strength is only modestly reduced by defects as large as several millimeters. This defect tolerance is achieved despite a very narrow process zone at the crack tip and even for a network of brittle fibrils. The fracture mechanics concept of tearing energy fails in predicting failure at such defects, and its magnitude is shown to depend on the chemical potential of the liquid environment.

Suggested Citation

  • Kevin Bircher & Manuel Zündel & Marco Pensalfini & Alexander E. Ehret & Edoardo Mazza, 2019. "Tear resistance of soft collagenous tissues," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 10(1), pages 1-13, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:10:y:2019:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-019-08723-y
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-08723-y
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