Micro-CT based finite element models of cancellous bone predict accurately displacement once the boundary condition is well replicated: A validation study

Yuan Chen, Enrico Dall׳Ara, Erika Sales, Krishnagoud Manda, Robert Wallace, Pankaj Pankaj, Marco Viceconti*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

79 Citations (Scopus)
231 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Non-destructive 3D micro-computed tomography (microCT) based finite element (microFE) models are used to estimate bone mechanical properties at tissue level. However, their validation remains challenging. Recent improvements in the quantification of displacements in bone tissue biopsies subjected to staged compression, using refined Digital Volume Correlation (DVC) techniques, now provide a full field displacement information accurate enough to be used for microFE validation. In this study, three specimens (two humans and one bovine) were tested with two different experimental set-ups, and the resulting data processed with the same DVC algorithm. The resulting displacement vector field was compared to that predicted by microFE models solved with three different boundary conditions (BC): nominal force resultant, nominal displacement resultant, distributed displacement. The first two conditions were obtained directly from the measurements provided by the experimental jigs, whereas in the third case the displacement field measured by the DVC in the top and bottom layer of the specimen was applied. Results show excellent relationship between the numerical predictions (x) and the experiments (y) when using BC derived from the DVC measurements (UX: y=1.07x−0.002, RMSE: 0.001 mm; UY: y=1.03x−0.001, RMSE: 0.001 mm; UZ: y=x+0.0002, RMSE: 0.001 mm for bovine specimen), whereas only poor correlation was found using BCs according to experiment set-ups. In conclusion, microFE models were found to predict accurately the vectorial displacement field using interpolated displacement boundary condition from DVC measurement.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)644-651
Number of pages8
JournalJournal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials
Volume65
Early online date17 Sept 2016
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 01 Jan 2017

Keywords

  • Cancellous bone
  • DVC
  • MicroCT
  • microFE
  • Validation

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biomaterials
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Mechanics of Materials

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