Computational modeling of progressive damage and rupture in fibrous biological tissues: application to aortic dissection

Gultekin O., Hager S. P., DAL H., Holzapfel G. A.

BIOMECHANICS AND MODELING IN MECHANOBIOLOGY, cilt.18, sa.6, ss.1607-1628, 2019 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 18 Sayı: 6
  • Basım Tarihi: 2019
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1007/s10237-019-01164-y
  • Dergi Adı: BIOMECHANICS AND MODELING IN MECHANOBIOLOGY
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.1607-1628
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: Fibrous biological tissues, Aortic dissection, Crack phase-field, Damage, Rupture, CRACK-PROPAGATION, MECHANICAL RESPONSE, FRACTURE-MECHANICS, FAILURE CRITERIA, ABDOMINAL AORTAS, FLUID-DYNAMICS, COLLAGEN, SIMULATION, ANEURYSM, STRENGTH
  • Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

This study analyzes the lethal clinical condition of aortic dissections from a numerical point of view. On the basis of previous contributions by Gultekin et al. (Comput Methods Appl Mech Eng 312:542-566, 2016 and 331:23-52, 2018), we apply a holistic geometrical approach to fracture, namely the crack phase-field, which inherits the intrinsic features of gradient damage and variational fracture mechanics. The continuum framework captures anisotropy, is thermodynamically consistent and is based on finite strains. The balance of linear momentum and the crack evolution equation govern the coupled mechanical and phase-field problem. The solution scheme features the robust one-pass operator-splitting algorithm upon temporal and spatial discretizations. Based on experimental data of diseased human thoracic aortic samples, the elastic material parameters are identified followed by a sensitivity analysis of the anisotropic phase-field model. Finally, we simulate an incipient propagation of an aortic dissection within a multi-layered segment of a thoracic aorta that involves a prescribed initial tear. The finite element results demonstrate a severe damage zone around the initial tear and exhibit a rather helical crack pattern, which aligns with the fiber orientation. It is hoped that the current contribution can provide some directions for further investigations of this disease.