High-Performance Computing Comparison of Implicit and Explicit Nonlinear Finite Element Simulations of Trabecular...

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Computational modeling
• Materials science

Background:

• Finite element models (FEM) from micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) scans are crucial for studying trabecular bone mechanics.
• Implicit and explicit solvers are common FEM algorithms, both applied to bone research.
• A direct comparison of implicit versus explicit solver outcomes for trabecular bone is currently lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To contrast implicit and explicit finite element procedures.
• To analyze trabecular bone samples as a case study for comparing solver methods.
• To evaluate differences in mechanical property predictions and computational efficiency.

Main Methods:

• Micro-computed tomography-based finite element analysis of trabecular bone.
• Direct quasi-static compression simulations.
• Comparison of implicit and explicit solver methods using high-performance computing.

Main Results:

• Implicit and explicit solvers yield comparable mechanical property predictions when problem setups are consistent.
• Both methods exhibit similar parallel scalability.
• The explicit solver demonstrated approximately five times faster computation and significantly lower memory utilization compared to the implicit method.

Conclusions:

• The explicit solver presents a more efficient alternative for trabecular bone finite element analysis.
• Findings are valuable for the bone modeling community and researchers in cellular and architectured materials.
• This comparison aids in selecting appropriate computational methods for bone mechanical studies.