Simulation of healing process in bio-composites: a case study of human skin

Failure and damage of materials are among the most studied topics within the mechanics of composite materials. Engineering design of self-healing materials could well be approached by imitating the self-healing materials present in nature, such as tissues of living organisms. Here, the skin tissue of the human body is studied as an evident example of a self-healing and composite living organism. Its multilayer and multi-component composite structure originates from the collagen fibres, which act as the straining elements, and the base matrix, performing as the filler in between the fibres. Analysis of the coupled governing equations of the healing process would provide a better understanding of how the process occurs and the way different factors may influence the desired outcome.