New experimental protocols for tensile testing of abdominal aortic analogues

Lucie Bailly (1) , Valérie Deplano (1) , Audrey Lemercier (1, 2, 3, 4) , Olivier Boiron (1) , Clark Meyer (1)

1 IRPHE - Institut de Recherche sur les Phénomènes Hors Equilibre
2 3SR - Laboratoire sols, solides, structures - risques [Grenoble]
3 MDB Texinov
4 CoMHet - Mécanique et Couplages Multiphysiques des Milieux Hétérogènes

This work proposes an in vitro tensile testing protocol able to characterize abdominal aortic (AA) analogues under physiologically inspired mechanical loadings. Kinematic parameters are defined in agreement with in vivo measurements of aortic dynamics. A specific focus is given to the choice of the applied loading rates, deriving from the knowledge of aortic Peterson modulus and blood pressure variations from diastolic to systolic instants. The influence of physiological elongation rates has been tested on both porcine AA and a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) material used to elaborate AA analogues. The diastolic and systolic elongation rates estimates vary between orders of magnitude O(10^-2) and O(10^-1)s^-1. Negligible differences are obtained when comparing stress-elongation responses between both physiological elongation rates. In contrast, a noticeable stiffening of the TPU mechanical response is observed compared to that obtained under the common low traction rate of O(10^-3)s^-1. This work shows how relevant physiological elongation rates can be evaluated as a function of age, gender and pathological context

Domaines: Biomécanique [physics.med-ph]; Biomécanique [physics.med-ph]

Lucie Bailly, Valérie Deplano, Audrey Lemercier, Olivier Boiron, Clark Meyer. New experimental protocols for tensile testing of abdominal aortic analogues. Medical Engineering & Physics, 2014, 36 (6), pp.800-804. ⟨10.1016/j.medengphy.2014.02.005⟩. ⟨hal-00947186⟩