Meshless Computing Method for Simulating Bone Remodeling Process

Bone remodeling refers to the physiological behavior of bone tissue changes with changes in the biomechanical environment. Researches of bone remodeling process are significant for bone tissue engineering. The use of numerical simulation technology is an important means to analyze the bone remodeling process. The research of computational methods can deeply reveal the growth law of bone tissue under external load and environmental effects. This work aims to develop the computational model using a meshless method, and simulate an evolution of the porous structure of trabecular bone. The main research objectives include: (1) proposing a novel bone remodeling model based on the radial point interpolation method (RPIM), which integrates the mechanical and biological aspects of bone remodeling; (2) analyzing the theoretical foundations of the meshless method, including the mechanical model driven by strain energy stimulation and the biological model regulated by cell growth, death, and proliferation. This work and the presented cases are limited to two-dimensional areas. The results demonstrate that the proposed bone remodeling model can reflect the bone remodeling process and reflect the dynamic changes inside the bone throughout its life cycle. The developed computational algorithm is highly efficient, and can form the porous structure of trabecular bone through image fitting.