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arXiv · 1906.01750

Landau theory of bending-to-stretching transition

O. U. Salman·G. Vitale·L. Truskinovsky
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Abstract

Transition from bending-dominated to stretching-dominated elastic response in semi-flexible fibrous networks plays an important role in the mechanical behavior of cells and tissues. It is induced by changes in network connectivity and relies on construction of new cross-links. We propose a simple continuum model of this transition with macroscopic strain playing the role of order parameter. An unusual feature of this Landau-type theory is that it is based on a single-well potential. We predict that bending-to-stretching transition proceeds through propagation of the localized fronts separating domains with affine and non-affine elastic response.

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O. U. Salman, G. Vitale, L. Truskinovsky. 2019-07-06. Landau theory of bending-to-stretching transition. https://doi.org/10.1103/physreve.100.051001

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