A thermo-mechanically coupled finite deformation model for freezing-induced damage in soft materials

TL;DR

This paper introduces a coupled thermo-mechanical phase-field model to simulate freezing-induced damage in soft materials, aiding cryopreservation research by capturing complex heat transfer, phase change, and deformation interactions.

Contribution

It presents a novel integrated framework combining heat transfer, phase transition, and large deformation mechanics for soft materials under cryogenic conditions.

Findings

Captures spatiotemporal evolution of temperature, phase, stress, and damage.

Provides insights into mechanisms of freezing-induced injury.

Serves as a tool for designing better cryopreservation strategies.

Abstract

In the U.S., approximately 17 patients die each day awaiting an organ transplant, a crisis driven by the inability to store organs long-term via methods like cryopreservation. A primary failure mechanism is the severe thermo-mechanical damage tissues experience during freezing. A predictive understanding of this damage is hindered by the complex interplay between heat transfer, phase change, and large deformation mechanics. Motivated by this fundamental problem, we present a fully coupled, thermo-mechanical phase-field framework for modeling damage evolution in fluid-saturated soft materials under cryogenic conditions. The theoretical framework integrates heat transfer with solid-liquid phase transition, finite deformation nonlinear elasticity, and progressive mechanical damage. The governing equations are solved using \texttt{FEniCS} finite element package. The presentation will detail the theoretical framework and showcase representative simulations that capture the spatiotemporal evolution of temperature, freezing phase field, stress, and damage fields during representative freezing protocols. The developed framework serves as a powerful tool for understanding the fundamental mechanisms of freezing-induced injury and for designing improved cryopreservation strategies.