Fracture properties of porcine versus human thoracic aortas from tricuspid/bicuspid aortic valve patients via symmetry-constraint Compact Tension testing

This study quantified the fracture properties of human thoracic aneurysmal aortas (TAA) and compared them to native and enzymatically treated porcine aortas using a symmetry-constraint Compact Tension (symconCT) setup. Diseased human tissues, particularly from bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) patients, exhibited higher stiffness and lower fracture energy with age. Collagen content strongly correlated with peak load and fracture energy, confirming its role in aortic wall toughness. Enzymatic degradation in porcine tissue reproduced human-like tearing and diffuse dissection, indicating that elastin loss and collagen damage drive aneurysmal weakening. The results provide key mechanical benchmarks for understanding and modeling aortic rupture mechanisms.