Determination of the Properties of a Porcine Aortic

Ring
Caitlin Kyaw
Biomedical Engineering Department
Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI)
Worcester, MA
cakyaw@wpi.edu

Abstract​— Cardiovascular diseases often stem from structural problems in aortic tissue such as degeneration of the tissue due to
decreases in its ultimate strength or increases in applied stresses. The purpose of this study was to determine the structural and
mechanical properties of aortic tissue through mechanical testing. A maximum tangent modulus of 20.76 MPa, ultimate tensile strength
of 2.178 MPa, and failure strain of 0.173 were calculated as a result of testing, however, the study recommends further testing due to a
small sample size. Mechanical testing is highly important to the development of medical devices and has large potential for widening
health care access to the public.

I. INTRODUCTION where σ represents the engineering stress, and ε represents the

The aorta is the main artery of the body, responsible
for delivering oxygenated blood to the organs from the left
ventricle of the heart [1]. The risk of developing
cardiovascular diseases increases with age, the presence of
genetic mutations, and other factors. Dilations and other
disease states of the aorta can result in changes to the
mechanical and structural properties of the tissue, leading to
degeneration of aorta and other health issues. Specifically,
increases in the stress of the wall of the aorta and decreases in
the ultimate strength of the tissue can result in life-threatening
dilation or rupture [2]. The physiology and effects of disease
states are important to study in order to understand how to
develop solutions.
Mechanical testing is one method of characterizing
the structural and mechanical properties of aortic tissue and
can be used to gain further knowledge about how
cardiovascular diseases develop. The purpose of this
experiment is to subject a pig aorta ring to a ring test to failure
in order to determine its properties, with failure being defined
as a complete tear of the aortic wall. Through the ring test,
data will be collected that can be used for several calculations.
The engineering stress, σ, can be found using the equation
F r
σ = *t o , (1)
where ​F is the force applied, ​r​o ​is the outer radius, and ​t is the
thickness of the sample. The engineering strain, ε, is found
using the equation
ε = Δll (2),
where Δ​l represents the change in length, or extension, and ​l is
the original length of the specimen. Young’s Modulus of the
specimen can be determined using the equation
E = σε (3),
engineering strain. This experiment will result in the
calculation of such properties.
II. METHODS AND MATERIALS
A. Sample preparation and uniaxial testing
Prior to testing, a pig aorta ring was prepared by separating
the aorta from the rest of the heart, removing the connective
tissue, and cutting the aorta into rings. The rings were then
wrapped in gauze with saline and frozen for several days.
Immediately before testing, the rings were allowed to thaw for
several hours, and measurements were taken for the specimen
using a digital caliper (±0.01 mm accuracy), which are
reported in Table 1.
The aortic ring was mechanically tested using the Instron
5544, and the ring test setup was used for the purposes of this
experiment. The load was balanced prior to mounting the
sample and a preload of 5N was applied to the specimen.
Following the preload, the displacement on the machine was
zeroed, and the grip-to-grip length was measured.
At the onset of the test, the specimen was subjected to nine
cycles of precycling at 20 mm/min, then pulled to failure at 20
mm/min on the tenth cycle. The force and displacement data
were recorded at a frequency of 10 Hz.
B. Statistical analysis
The engineering stress, σ was calculated from the
force (F) by dividing by the initial cross-sectional area
assuming a rectangular cross-sectional area, and the
engineering strain (ε) was calculated by dividing the
displacement (d) by the grip-to-grip initial length. The
stress-strain data were analyzed using a custom program in
MATLAB (see Appendix). From the 10​th loading curve, the
maximum tangent modulus (​MTM)​ i.e., the largest slope of the
stress-strain curve, was calculated using a custom
moving-window algorithm with a window size of 40. The returns to the applied tare load. Maximum tangent modulus
ultimate tensile strength (UTS), the highest value of stress, and (MTM), the largest slope of the stress-strain curve, quantifies
the strain at failure (ε failure), were calculated using the MAX the relative stiffness of the material and its ability to resist
function. From the 9​th cycle, the toughness was calculated as deformation. MTM is indicated by the black line. Ultimate
the total area under the stress-strain curve to 10% using tensile strength (UTS) describes the maximum stress that a
numerical integration stress as a function of strain and material can withstand without failing and is indicated by the
hysteresis was calculated as the difference between the areas blue circle. Toughness, the region in blue, is a material’s
under the loading and unloading curves, and presented as % of resistance to fracture.
area under the loading curve. The plastic strain (non-elastic
return) was calculated from the 9​th unloading curve as the
strain where the force returns to the tare load (5N).
III. RESULTS
The data shown in Table 1 reports the dimensions of
the aortic ring, measured to ±0.01 mm accuracy, and Figure 1
visualizes the dimensions in a schematic form.

Table 1.​ Dimensions of the pig aortic ring, reported in

millimeters
Radius, ​ro​ ​ (mm) 11.05

Length, ​l​ (mm) 10.00

Thickness, ​t​ (mm) 1.72

Figure 2. ​Final loading/unloading curve (enclosing the region
in red), failure curve (indicated by cycle 10 in blue), hysteresis
(region in red), plastic strain (red circle), maximum tangent
modulus (MTM, black line), ultimate tensile strength (UTS,
blue circle), and toughness (region in blue)

Following uniaxial testing, the curve shown in

Figure 3 was obtained. Over the course of precycling, the
hysteresis curves began to overlap and the sample did not
break until pulled to failure on the 10th cycle, as expected.
The curve displays the nonlinear behavior of the aortic tissue,
as well as a large deformation prior to failure.

Figure 1.​ ​Schematic of the pig aortic ring

Figure 2 displays a single loading and unloading

curve (curve enclosing the region in red), as well as a failure
curve (indicated by cycle 10 in blue). Hysteresis, or the
amount of lengthening a tissue will maintain after a cycle of
stretching and relaxing, is visualized by the difference in the
area under the loading and unloading curves, and is the region Figure 3.​ Force-displacement data for the 9th and 10th
shown in red. Plastic strain, or permanent, non-recoverable cycles. The hysteresis curve is shown by cycle 9, and cycle 10
deformation, is indicated by the red circle where the force shows the aorta being pulled to failure.
 In order to convert force-displacement into
strain-stress, stress, σ, was calculated using ​Equation 1​, and
strain was calculated using ​Equation 2​. ​Figure 4 displays the
stress-strain data for the 9th and 10th cycles. As expected,
similarly to the force-displacement graph, the ninth curve
exhibits normal hysteresis behavior on the 9th cycle, and a
large deformation on the 10th.

Figure 5.​ ​MTM of the 10th cycle, with max slope indicated by
the circle, calculated by the moving window algorithm

Figure 6 shows the plot of the ​MTM fit line (R​2 =

0.9078), approximating the maximum tangent modulus for a
porcine aorta.

Figure 4.​ Stress-strain data for the 9th and 10th cycles. The
hysteresis curve is shown by cycle 9, and cycle 10 shows the
aorta being pulled to failure.

Maximum tangent modulus (​MTM​), the largest slope

for the 10th cycle, calculated in MATLAB using the moving
window algorithm. ​Figure 4 shows the 10th cycle with a
sample window shown in magenta, and ​Figure 5 ​shows the
MTM​.

Figure 6.​ Plot of the MTM fit line, fit to R2​ ​ = 0.9078

Figure 4.​ 10th cycle with a moving window of 40 shown in

magenta
Table 2 displays the calculated values for MTM, UTS, failure
Duprey et Porcine 1.6 0.6 9.73±3.0
strain, plastic strain, toughness, and hysteresis for the porcine
al. (2010) 0
aortic ring sample.
The results of this study were roughly consistent with
Table 2.​ ​ Calculated values for a porcine aortic ring sample, peak stress values presented in Snowhill & Silver (2005) [3]
with MTM, UTS, and toughness reported in MPa, and and Duprey et al. (2010) [4]. Results for this study most
hysteresis reported as a percent of the area under the loading closely resembled results reported by Kalejs et al. (2013) [5],
curve. Failure strain and plastic strain are dimensionless
however, without additional samples, it is difficult to
values (mm/mm).
determine whether the results are a true representative of the
Calculated values for a porcine aortic ring sample tissue’s properties.

Maximum tangent modulus (MTM) 20.7611 MPa

B. Mechanical testing
Ultimate tensile strength (UTS) 2.1778 MPa Testing of any kind is highly important when
developing medical devices. How the product will act outside
Failure strain, ε​F 0.1727 of the body can often be very different than how the product
will act in the body, and simply comparing the product to ones
Plastic strain, ε​P 0.0557 already existing in the market will not result in comparable
metrics of the product’s actual performance. External testing
Toughness 0.0197 MPa
and trying to simulate the body’s responses to a product far
Hysteresis 9.13% before the product is tested in a patient’s body will provide
meaningful and even life-saving results. Particularly with
devices used as implants such as hip replacements and femoral
IV. DISCUSSION implants, mechanical testing can simulate the stresses and
A. Study results forces the product will undergo when in use. In the biomedical
This study resulted in the determination of maximum device regulatory process, mechanical testing can validate the
tangent modulus, ultimate tensile strength, failure strain, predictions and precalculations done for the product to ensure
plastic strain, hysteresis, and toughness of a porcine aortic ring it performs in a desirable manner.
from data collected during a uniaxial tensile test. When pulled Mechanical testing can also play a role in increasing
to failure, the aorta broke at the midline, where an area of health care access to all people. In determining the best
shear stress is concentrated. Peak stress, peak strain, and
materials for new products during mechanical testing, new
elastic modulus were also determined from the data. ​Table 3
compares the results of this study with those available in the materials or more cost-effective materials that have the desired
literature. strength qualities can be discovered and chosen using the data
Table 3.​ ​Peak stress, strain, and elastic modulus as found in obtained from the tests. More cost-effective materials can
the literature for various tissues, as well as from this study mean more cost-effective devices, ideally making products
more accessible to the people who need them. Mechanical
Study Species Peak stress Peak Elastic
testing can also verify that the product is doing what it is
(MPa) strain modulus
(MPa) supposed to be doing, isn’t causing any undesired side effects,
and is usable for more than just a small target population.
This Porcine 2.178 0.1727 20.76 Many patients can be turned away from products on the basis
study that they may not qualify, or the product may not work for
them, but mechanical testing can help ensure that the products
Ferrara et Human 1.44±0.70 0.293±0. 18.34±9. are being able to be used by everyone that needs them.
al. (2016) 117 00
Biomedical engineers are in a unique position in that
Kalejs et Porcine 2.3±0.6 0.448±0. 9.7±1.30 they are armed with both engineering and biological
al. (2013) 059 knowledge. They are both able to understand the design
requirements of healthcare products and understand the
Snowhill Porcine 1.3±0.4 1.0+0.11 17.7±9.1 physiology behind them. The general public may do some
& Silver 2 research into products that doctors recommend to them, but
(2005) maybe not enough. Biomedical engineers can help ensure that
consumers make the best decisions for their health by
designing straightforward devices, thoroughly testing devices
far before they hit the market, and educating doctors about
their products.

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