[Histomechanical studies on test specimens from hyaline cartilage under compressive loading with regard to rheology...

Modified rheological methods from high polymer physics (biorheology, historheology) have been applied to the testing of hyaline cartilage histomechanics. The following histomechanical properties of cartilage are discussed: transient behaviour, the influence of the mechanical history on the subsequent force-deformation processes, viscoelastic equilibrium status (histomechanical steady state), and relaxation phenomena in the pressure and tension range under alternating pressure-tension loading. Pressure force-time input and output curves in a closed loop system and the amplitude-increasing phenomenon under uniform sinus deformations with increasing superimposed linear deformation input were also demonstrated. The results are discussed from the point of view of functional anatomy.