Abstract
Brittle materials propagate opening cracks under tension. When stress increases beyond a critical magnitude, then quasistatic crack propagation becomes unstable. In the presence of several precracks, a brittle material always propagates only the weakest crack, leading to catastrophic failure. Here, we show that all these features of brittle fracture are fundamentally modified when the material susceptible to cracking is bonded to a hydrogel, a common situation in biological tissues. In the presence of the hydrogel, the brittle material can fracture in compression and can hydraulically resist cracking in tension. Furthermore, the poroelastic coupling regularizes the crack dynamics and enhances material toughness by promoting multiple cracking.
Highlights
Brittle materials propagate opening cracks under tension
We show that all these features of brittle fracture are fundamentally modified when the material susceptible to cracking is bonded to a hydrogel, a common situation in biological tissues
A counterintuitive new fracture mode has been identified in epithelial tissues, by which a material susceptible to fracture develops opening cracks under compression [4]
Summary
Brittle materials propagate opening cracks under tension. When stress increases beyond a critical magnitude, quasistatic crack propagation becomes unstable. Hydraulic Fracture and Toughening of a Brittle Layer Bonded to a Hydrogel Brittle materials propagate opening cracks under tension.
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