Gerard A. Ateshian's KEYNOTE seminar "Theoretical Considerations for Modeling Viscoelastic Damage and Fatigue in Biological Soft Tissues"

Gerard Ateshian Jan_26_2023.pdf (pdf 151 kB)

Abstract. One of the primary goals of soft tissue biomechanics is to estimate the conditions that might cause failure of these tissues under various physiological conditions. However, soft tissues typically exhibit viscoelasticity, so that their damage response becomes difficult to assess solely from experimental observations. Therefore, a theoretical framework that combines viscoelasticity and damage, using observable (thus, measurable) state variables, can provide fundamental insights into the phenomenon of viscoelastic damage. In this presentation we cover the topic of damage mechanics, nonlinear viscoelasticity, and viscoelastic damage, using the framework of constrained reactive mixtures. This framework is briefly compared to the more traditional internal variable theories available in the classical mechanics literature. Examples and illustrations are provided, based on experimental measurements performed on articular cartilage and tendon. Theoretical and experimental considerations of fatigue failure in soft tissues are also introduced.