Development of a Bionic Tube with High Bending-Stiffness Properties Based on Human Tibiofibular Shapes

Area of Science:

• Biomechanical engineering
• Materials science
• Biomimetics

Background:

• The human tibiofibular complex exhibits high load-bearing capacity due to its evolutionary design.
• The unique geometry of the tibia-fibula offers potential for developing advanced engineering materials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and evaluate bionic tubes inspired by human tibiofibular cross-sections.
• To assess the mechanical properties, specifically specific stiffness, of these bionic tubes.

Main Methods:

• Four bionic tube types were created based on human tibia-fibula dimensions, varying inner shapes but maintaining identical outer profiles.
• Finite-element simulations and physical bending tests were employed to compare mechanical performance.

Main Results:

• Bionic tube type 2, closely resembling the human tibia-fibula, achieved the highest specific stiffness (6.46 × 10⁴).
• Type 2 demonstrated a 25.8% increase in specific stiffness compared to type 3, which had the highest mass and lowest stiffness.
• Simulation and physical test results showed consistent findings regarding specific stiffness rankings.

Conclusions:

• Bionic tubes derived from human tibiofibular morphology exhibit enhanced effectiveness and bending properties.
• These bionic structures hold significant potential for applications in healthcare engineering, including robotics and prosthetics.