Thesis

Finite element modelling of healthy and osteoporotic bone

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Awarding institution
  • University of Strathclyde
Date of award
  • 2013
Thesis identifier
  • T13662
Qualification Level
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Department, School or Faculty
Abstract
  • On a macro-structural level, the bones of the human skeleton is comprised mainly of trabecular (spongy) and cortical bone (dense). Trabecular bone typically occurs at the end points of long bones and has a structure described as a network of plates and rods. Cortical bone forms the hard outer shell and comprised mainly of osteons called Haversian systems. Bone is a composite material consisting mainly of an organic collagenous matrix ad carbonated apatite crystals. The structure of bone material is hierarchically organised and the inhomogeneous nature of bone material results in anisotropic mechanical properties. Bone adapts to its loading history and undergoes hypertrophy as result of increased loading and atrophy when loading is significantly reduced or completely removed. Osteoporosis is a disease of the bone which is characterised by loss of bone material and hence weakening of the bone. As a result of this, osteoporotic bone is more likely to fracture as a result of everyday loading. In this study three-dimensional finite element models of the shaft of the tibia were developed using the ABAQUS (Simula) finite element modelling programme. Models were developed to represent three symptoms of osteoporosis - bone thinning, low density and increased porosity. The models were subjected to compressive and torsional loading, and the stress distribution in response to these loads was analysed to gain an understanding of what areas of the tibia are at greatest risk of fracture and under what loading conditions. A risk of fracture for each of the elements was calculated and the maximum risk of fracture in each model gave an indication of fracture likelihood. This study found that osteoporotic bone showed increased stress and risk of fracture in both compression and torsion. However, torsion of bone with increased porosity was the only combination that produced results that indicate the occurrence of fracture. The aim is for the bone models developed in this study to be used clinically to reduce fracture occurrence in patients with osteoporotic bone loss.
Resource Type
DOI
Date Created
  • 2013
Former identifier
  • 1005038

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