Modeling of elastic modulus evolution of cirrhotic human liver

A micromechanics-based composite model is developed for the elastic behavior and its modulus evolution of cirrhotic human liver correlated with different pathological stages. Microstructurally, the cirrhotic liver is hypothesized to be pathologically elastic nodules embedded in the soft tissue matrix whose hyperelastic behavior is controlled by the Veronda-Westmann model. Under finite deformation, the total strain energy of the liver is collected through the combination of that in nodule particles and that in the tissue matrix. The overall constitutive relation of the pathological liver can further be established through the nonlinear hyperelasticity theory. Predictions of the elastic modulus and its pathological evolution are compared with available experimental data.