Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 5, 2026
09:32
Subject-specific Musculoskeletal Model for Studying Bone Strain During Dynamic Motion
Published on: April 11, 2018
Modeling of dynamic fracture and damage in two-dimensional trabecular bone microstructures using the cohesive finite
1Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA. vikas.tpmar@nd.edu
Journal of Biomechanical Engineering
|April 17, 2008
Summary
Trabecular bone fracture resistance depends on loading rate and microstructure. Bone sections with lower area fraction and higher thickness are more fracture-resistant, showing how architecture influences damage.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Materials Science
- Orthopedics
Background:
- Trabecular bone fracture is influenced by architecture, microdamage, and tissue properties.
- Micro-finite-element models are limited in simulating microstructure-dependent fracture.
- Understanding dynamic fracture is crucial for bone health and injury prevention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To model dynamic fracture in 2D ovine trabecular bone micrographs using the cohesive finite element method.
- To investigate the influence of loading rate and microstructural features on fracture behavior.
- To analyze the anisotropy in microdamage accumulation and fracture resistance.
Main Methods:
- Cohesive finite element modeling of 2D ovine trabecular bone micrographs.
- Modeling bone tissue as an orthotropic material with parameters from human cortical bone.
- Crack propagation analysis in two orthogonal sections with varying microstructural features (area fraction, thickness, connectivity).
Main Results:
- Fracture behavior is dependent on the rate of loading.
- Microstructure significantly influences fracture properties; lower area fraction and higher thickness enhance fracture resistance.
- Trabecular architecture causes inhomogeneous damage distribution, leading to rapid fragmentation upon critical damage accumulation.
Conclusions:
- Loading rate and trabecular microstructure are key determinants of bone fracture.
- Microstructural variations lead to anisotropic damage accumulation and fracture resistance.
- The cohesive finite element method is effective for modeling dynamic fracture in trabecular bone.
Related Concept Videos
01:27Fractures: Bone Repair
Treatment for a fracture is based on the type of break, the bone affected, and the patient's age.
Minor fractures with no bone displacement are treated by immobilizing the fractured bone using a cast or splint. However, in the case of fractures with displaced bones, the broken bones are repositioned before immobilization to ensure successful healing without deformation and loss of function. The realignment of fractured bone ends is performed through a process called reduction. If the procedure...
Minor fractures with no bone displacement are treated by immobilizing the fractured bone using a cast or splint. However, in the case of fractures with displaced bones, the broken bones are repositioned before immobilization to ensure successful healing without deformation and loss of function. The realignment of fractured bone ends is performed through a process called reduction. If the procedure...
01:31Bone Remodeling and Repair
Osteoclasts are cells responsible for bone resorption and remodeling. They originate from hematopoietic progenitor cells present in the bone marrow. Numerous progenitor cells fuse to form multinucleated cells, each with 10-20 nuclei. A single osteoclast has a diameter of 150 to 200 µM. These cells have ruffled borders that break down the underlying bone tissue and release minerals such as calcium into the blood in bone resorption. Osteoclasts cling to bones with their ruffled edges during bone...