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Michel Destrade

Publications and source records attributed to Michel Destrade.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Nonlinear response and axisymmetric wave propagation in functionally graded soft electro-active tubes

Soft electro-active (SEA) materials can be designed and manufactured with gradients in their material properties, to modify and potentially improve their mechanical response in service. Here, we investigate the nonlinear response of, and axisymmetric wave propagation in a soft circular tube made of a functionally graded SEA material and subject to several biasing fields, including axial pre-stretch, internal/external pressure, and through-thickness electric voltage. We take the energy density function of the material to be of the Mooney-Rivlin ideal dielectric type, with material parameters changing linearly along the radial direction. We employ the general theory of nonlinear electro-elasticity to obtain explicitly the nonlinear response of the tube to the applied fields. To study wave propagation under inhomogeneous biasing fields, we formulate the incremental equations of motion within the state-space formalism. We adopt the approximate laminate technique to derive the analytical dispersion relations for the small-amplitude torsional and longitudinal waves superimposed on a finitely deformed state. Comprehensive numerical results then illustrate that the material gradients and biasing fields have significant influences on the static nonlinear response and on the axisymmetric wave propagation in the tube. This study lays the groundwork for designing SEA actuators with improved performance, for tailoring tunable SEA waveguides, and for characterizing non-destructively functionally graded tubular structures.

cond-mat.soft↗

Tuning the pull-in instability of soft dielectric elastomers through loading protocols

Pull-in (or electro-mechanical) instability occurs when a drastic decrease in the thickness of a dielectric elastomer results in electrical breakdown, which limits the applications of dielectric devices. Here we derive the criteria for determining the pull-in instability of dielectrics actuated by different loading methods: voltage-control, charge-control, fixed pre-stress and fixed pre-stretch, by analyzing the free energy of the actuated systems. The Hessian criterion identifies a maximum in the loading curve beyond which the elastomer will stretch rapidly and lose stability, and can be seen as a path to failure. We present numerical calculations for neo-Hookean ideal dielectrics, and obtain the maximum allowable actuation stretch of a dielectric before failure by electrical breakdown. We find that applying a fixed pre-stress or a fixed pre-stretch to a charge-driven dielectric may decrease the stretchability of the elastomer, a scenario which is the opposite of what happens in the case of a voltage-driven dielectric. Results show that a reversible large actuation of a dielectric elastomer, free of the pull-in instability, can be achieved by tuning the actuation method.

cond-mat.soft↗

Mechanical characterization of brain tissue in tension at dynamic strain rates

Mechanical characterization of brain tissue at high loading velocities is crucial for modeling Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). During severe impact conditions, brain tissue experiences compression, tension and shear. Limited experimental data is available for brain tissue in extension at dynamic strain rates. In this research, a High Rate Tension Device (HRTD) was developed to obtain dynamic properties of brain tissue in extension at strain rates of < 90/s. In vitro tensile tests were performed to obtain properties of brain tissue at strain rates of 30, 60 and 90/s up to 30% strain. The brain tissue showed a stiffer response with increasing strain rates, showing that hyperelastic models are not adequate. Specifically, the tensile engineering stress at 30% strain was 3.1 +/- 0.49 kPa, 4.3 +/- 0.86 kPa, 6.5 +/- 0.76 kPa (mean +/- SD) at strain rates of 30, 60 and 90/s, respectively. Force relaxation tests in tension were also conducted at different strain magnitudes (10-60% strain) with the average rise time of 24 ms, which were used to derive time dependent parameters. One-term Ogden, Fung and Gent models were used to obtain material parameters from the experimental data. Numerical simulations were performed using a one-term Ogden model to analyze hyperelastic behavior of brain tissue up to 30% strain. The material parameters obtained in this study will help to develop biofidelic human brain finite element models, which can subsequently be used to predict brain injuries under impact conditions and as a reconstruction and simulation tool for forensic investigations.

cond-mat.soft↗

Mechanical characterization of brain tissue in simple shear at dynamic strain rates

During severe impact conditions, brain tissue experiences a rapid and complex deformation, which can be seen as a mixture of compression, tension and shear. Moreover, diffuse axonal injury (DAI) occurs in animals and humans when both the strains and strain rates exceed 10% and 10/s, respectively. Knowing the mechanical properties of brain tissue in shear at these strains and strain rates is thus of particular importance, as they can be used in finite element simulations to predict the occurrence of brain injuries under different impact conditions. In this research, an experimental setup was developed to perform simple shear tests on porcine brain tissue at strain rates < 120/s. The maximum measured shear stress at strain rates of 30, 60, 90 and 120/s was 1.15 +/- 0.25 kPa, 1.34 +/- 0.19 kPa, 2.19 +/- 0.225 kPa and 2.52 +/- 0.27 kPa, (mean +/- SD), respectively, at the maximum amount of shear, K = 1. Good agreement of experimental, theoretical (Ogden and MooneyRivlin models) and numerical shear stresses was achieved (p = 0.7866 - 0.9935). Specimen thickness effects (2.0 - 10.0 mm thick specimens) were also analyzed numerically and we found that there is no significant difference (p = 0.9954) in the shear stress magnitudes, indicating a homogeneous deformation of the specimens during simple shear tests. Stress relaxation tests in simple shear were also conducted at different strain magnitudes (10% - 60% strain) with the average rise time of 14 ms. This allowed us to estimate elastic and viscoelastic parameters (mu = 4942.0 Pa and Prony parameters: g1 = 0.520, g2 = 0.3057, tau1 = 0.0264 s, tau2 = 0.011 s) that can be used in FE software to analyze the hyperviscoelastic behavior of brain tissue.

cond-mat.soft↗

Elastic Cherenkov effects in transversely isotropic soft materials-I: Theoretical analysis, simulations and inverse method

A body force concentrated at a point and moving at a high speed can induce shear-wave Mach cones in dusty-plasma crystals or soft materials, as observed experimentally and named the elastic Cherenkov effect (ECE). The ECE in soft materials forms the basis of the supersonic shear imaging (SSI) technique, an ultrasound-based dynamic elastography method applied in clinics in recent years. Previous studies on the ECE in soft materials have focused on isotropic material models. In this paper, we investigate the existence and key features of the ECE in anisotropic soft media, by using both theoretical analysis and finite element (FE) simulations, and we apply the results to the non=invasive and non-destructive characterization of biological soft tissues. We also theoretically study the characteristics of the shear waves induced in a deformed hyperelastic anisotropic soft material by a source moving with high speed, considering that contact between the ultrasound probe and the soft tissue may lead to finite deformation. On the basis of our theoretical analysis and numerical simulations, we propose an inverse approach to infer both the anisotropic and hyperelastic parameters of incompressible transversely isotropic (TI) soft materials. Finally, we investigate the properties of the solutions to the inverse problem by deriving the condition numbers in analytical form and performing numerical experiments. In Part II of the paper, both ex vivo and in vivo experiments are conducted to demonstrate the applicability of the inverse method in practical use.

cond-mat.soft↗

Guided waves in pre-stressed hyperelastic plates and tubes: Application to the ultrasound elastography of thin-walled soft materials

In vivo measurement of the mechanical properties of thin-walled soft tissues (e.g., mitral valve, artery and bladder) and in situ mechanical characterization of thin-walled artificial soft biomaterials in service are of great challenge and difficult to address via commonly used testing methods. Here we investigate the properties of guided waves generated by focused acoustic radiation force in immersed pre-stressed plates and tubes, and show that they can address this challenge. To this end, we carry out both (i) a theoretical analysis based on incremental wave motion in finite deformation theory and (ii) finite element simulations. Our analysis leads to a novel method based on the ultrasound elastography to image the elastic properties of pre-stressed thin-walled soft tissues and artificial soft materials in a non-destructive and non-invasive manner. To validate the theoretical and numerical solutions and demonstrate the usefulness of the corresponding method in practical measurements, we perform (iii) experiments on polyvinyl alcohol cryogel phantoms immersed in water, using the Verasonics V1 System equipped with a L10-5 transducer. Finally, potential clinical applications of the method have been discussed.

cond-mat.soft↗

Modified multiplicative decomposition model for tissue growth: Beyond the initial stress-free state

The multiplicative decomposition model is widely employed for predicting residual stresses and morphologies of biological tissues due to growth. However, it relies on the assumption that the tissue is initially in a stress-free state, which conflicts with the observations that any growth state of tissue is under a significant level of residual stresses that helps to maintain its ideal mechanical conditions. Here, we propose a modified multiplicative decomposition model where the initial state (or reference configuration) of biological tissue is endowed with residual stress instead of being stress-free. Releasing theoretically the initial residual stress, the initially stressed state is first transmitted into a virtual stress-free state, resulting in an initial elastic deformation. The initial virtual stress-free state subsequently grows to another counterpart with a growth deformation and the latter is further integrated into its natural configuration with an excessive elastic deformation that ensures tissue compatibility. With this decomposition, the total deformation may be expressed as the product of elastic deformation, growth deformation and initial elastic deformation, while the corresponding free energy density depends on the initial residual stress and the total deformation. We address three key issues: explicit expression of the free energy density,predetermination of the initial elastic deformation, and initial residual stress. Finally, we consider a tubular organ to demonstrate the effects of the proposed initial residual stress on stress distribution and on shape formation through an incremental stability analysis. Our results suggest that the initial residual stress exerts a major influence on the growth stress and the morphology of tissues.

cond-mat.soft↗

An ultrasonic measurement of stress in steel without calibration: the angled shear wave identity

Measuring stress levels in loaded structures is crucial to assess and monitor their health, and to predict the length of their remaining structural life. However, measuring stress non-destructively has proved quite challenging. Many ultrasonic methods are able to accurately predict in-plane stresses in a controlled laboratory environment, but struggle to be robust outside, in a real world setting. That is because they rely either on knowing beforehand the material constants (which are difficult to acquire) or they require significant calibration for each specimen. Here we present a simple ultrasonic method to evaluate the in-plane stress in situ directly, without knowing any material constants. This method only requires measuring the speed of two angled shear waves. It is based on a formula which is exact for incompressible solids, such as soft gels or tissues, and is approximately true for compressible "hard" solids, such as steel and other metals. We validate the formula against virtual experiments using Finite Element simulations, and find it displays excellent accuracy, with a small error of the order of 1%.

physics.class-ph↗

Electro-mechanically guided growth and patterns

Several experiments have demonstrated the existence of an electro-mechanical effect in many biological tissues and hydrogels, and its actual influence on growth, migration, and pattern formation. Here, to model these interactions and capture some growth phenomena found in Nature, we extend volume growth theory to account for an electro-elasticity coupling. Based on the multiplicative decomposition, we present a general analysis of isotropic growth and pattern formation of electro-elastic solids under external mechanical and electrical fields. As an example, we treat the case of a tubular structure to illustrate an electro-mechanically guided growth affected by axial strain and radial voltage. Our numerical results show that a high voltage can enhance the non-uniformity of the residual stress distribution and induce extensional buckling, while a low voltage can delay the onset of wrinkling shapes and can also generate more complex morphologies. Within a controllable range, axial tensile stretching shows the ability to stabilise the tube and help form more complex 3D patterns, while compressive stretching promotes instability. Both the applied voltage and external axial strain have a significant impact on guiding growth and pattern formation. Our modelling provides a basic tool for analysing the growth of electro-elastic materials, which can be useful for designing a pattern prescription strategy or growth self-assembly in Engineering.

cond-mat.soft↗

Electro-elastic Lamb waves in dielectric plates

We study the propagation of Lamb waves in soft dielectric plates subject to mechanical and electrical loadings. We find explicit expressions for the dispersion equations in the cases of neo-Hookean and Gent dielectrics. We elucidate the effects of the electric field, of the thickness-to-wavelength ratio, of pre-stress and of strain-stiffening on the wave characteristics.

cond-mat.soft↗

Stability analysis of charge-controlled soft dielectric plates

We examine the stability of a soft dielectric plate deformed by the coupled effects of a mechanical pre-stress applied on its lateral faces and an electric field applied through its thickness under charge control. The electric field is created by spraying charges on the major faces of the plate: although in practice this mode of actuation is harder to achieve than a voltage-driven deformation, here we find that it turns out to be much more stable in theory and in simulations. First we show that the electromechanical instability based on the Hessian criterion associated with the free energy of the system does not occur at all for charge-driven dielectrics for which the electric displacement is linear in the electric field. Then we show that the geometric instability associated with the formation of small-amplitude wrinkles on the faces of the plate that arises under voltage control does not occur either under charge control. This is in complete contrast to voltage-control actuation, where Hessian and wrinkling instabilities can occur once certain critical voltages are reached. For the mechanical pre-stresses, two modes that can be implemented in practice are used: equi-biaxial and uni-axial. We confirm the analytical and numerical stability results of homogeneous deformation modes with Finite Element simulations of real actuations, where inhomogeneous fields may develop. We find complete agreement in the equi-biaxial case, and very close agreement in the uni-axial case, when the pre-stress is due to a dead-load weight. In the latter case, the simulations show that small inhomogeneous effects develop near the clamps, and eventually a compressive lateral stress emerges, leading to a breakdown of the numerics.

cond-mat.soft↗

Pattern evolution in bending dielectric-elastomeric bilayers

We propose theoretical and numerical analyses of smart bending deformation of a dielectric-elastic bilayer in response to a voltage, based on the nonlinear theory of electro-elasticity and the associated linearized incremental field theory. We reveal that the mechanism allowing the bending angle of the bilayer can be tuned by adjusting the applied voltage. Furthermore, we investigate how much can the bilayer be bent before it loses its stability by buckling when one of its faces is under too much compression. We find that the physical properties of the two layers must be selected to be of the same order of magnitude to obtain a consequent bending without encountering buckling. If required, the wrinkles can be designed to appear on either the inner or the outer bent surface of the buckled bilayer. We validate the results through comparison with those of the classical elastic problem.

cond-mat.soft↗

Generalization of the Zabolotskaya equation to all incompressible isotropic elastic solids

We study elastic shear waves of small but finite amplitude, composed of an anti-plane shear motion and a general in-plane motion. We use a multiple scales expansion to derive an asymptotic system of coupled nonlinear equations describing their propagation in all isotropic incompressible non-linear elastic solids, generalizing the scalar Zabolotskaya equation of compressible nonlinear elasticity. We show that for a general isotropic incompressible solid, the coupling between anti-plane and in-plane motions cannot be undone and thus conclude that linear polarization is impossible for general nonlinear two-dimensional shear waves. We then use the equations to study the evolution of a nonlinear Gaussian beam in a soft solid: we show that a pure (linearly polarised) shear beam source generates only odd harmonics, but that introducing a slight in-plane noise in the source signal leads to a second harmonic, of the same magnitude as the fifth harmonic, a phenomenon recently observed experimentally. Finally, we present examples of some special shear motions with linear polarisation.

cond-mat.soft↗

Influence of Initial Residual Stress on Growth and Pattern Creation for a Layered Aorta

Residual stress is ubiquitous and indispensable in most biological and artificial materials, where it sustains and optimizes many biological and functional mechanisms. The theory of volume growth, starting from a stress-free initial state, is widely used to explain the creation and evolution of growth-induced residual stress and the resulting changes in shape, and to model how growing bio-tissues such as arteries and solid tumors develop a strategy of pattern creation according to geometrical and material parameters. This modelling provides promising avenues for designing and directing some appropriate morphology of a given tissue or organ and achieve some targeted biomedical function. In this paper, we rely on a modified, augmented theory to reveal how we can obtain growth-induced residual stress and pattern evolution of a layered artery by starting from an existing, non-zero initial residual stress state. We use experimentally determined residual stress distributions of aged bi-layered human aortas and quantify their influence by a magnitude factor. Our results show that initial residual stress has a more significant impact on residual stress accumulation and the subsequent evolution of patterns than geometry and material parameters. Additionally, we provide an essential explanation for growth-induced patterns driven by differential growth coupled to an initial residual stress. Finally, we show that initial residual stress is a readily available way to control growth-induced pattern creation for tissues and thus may provide a promising inspiration for biomedical engineering.

q-bio.TO↗

Multisector method for arteries: The residual stresses of circumferential rings with non-trivial openings

The opening angle method is a most popular choice in biomechanics to estimate residual stresses in arteries. Experimentally, it means that an artery is cut into rings; then the rings are cut axially: they open up into sectors; and the corresponding opening angles are measured to give residual stress levels by solving an inverse problem. However, in the lab, for many tissues--more commonly in pathological tissues, the ring does not open according to the theory, into a neat single circular sector, but rather creates an asymmetric geometry, often with abruptly changing curvature(s). This phenomenon might be due to a number of reasons including variation in thickness, microstructure, varying mechanical properties, etc. As a result, these samples have to be eliminated from studies relying on the opening angle method, which limits progress in understanding and evaluating residual stresses in all real arteries. With this work we propose an effective approach to deal with these non-trivial openings of rings. First we digitalise pictures of opened rings to split them into multiple, connected circular sectors. Then we measure the corresponding opening angles for each sub-sector. Finally we can determine the non-homogeneous distribution of residual stresses for individual sectors in a closed ring configuration.

cond-mat.soft↗

The mechanics of human brain organoids

Organoids are prototypes of human organs derived from cultured human stem cells. They provide a reliable and accurate experimental model to study the physical mechanisms underlying the early developmental stages of human organs morphogenesis and, in particular, the early morphogenesis of the cortex. Here, we propose a mathematical model to elucidate the role played by two mechanisms which have been experimentally proven to be crucial in shaping human brain organoids: the contraction of the inner core of the organoid and the microstructural remodeling of the outer cortex. Our results show that both mechanisms are crucial for the final shape of the organoid and can explain the origin of brain pathologies such as lissencephaly (smooth brain).

cond-mat.soft↗

Poynting effect of brain matter in torsion

We investigate experimentally and model theoretically the mechanical behaviour of brain matter in torsion. Using a strain-controlled rheometer we perform torsion tests on fresh porcine brain samples. We quantify the torque and the normal force required to twist a cylindrical sample at constant twist rate. Data fitting gives a mean value for the shear modulus μ = 900 $\pm$ 312 Pa and for the second Mooney-Rivlin parameter $c_2$ = 297 $\pm$ 189 Pa, indicative of extreme softness. Our results show that brain always displays a positive Poynting effect; in other words, it expands in the direction perpendicular to the plane of twisting. We validate the experiments with Finite Element simulations and show that when a human head experiences a twisting motion in the horizontal plane, the brain can experience large forces in the axial direction.

cond-mat.soft↗