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Determination of Orthotropic Bone Elastic Constants Using FEA
Determination of Orthotropic Bone Elastic Constants Using FEA
Abstract
Finite element models have been widely employed in an effort to quantify the stress and strain distribution around implanted
prostheses and to explore the influence of these distributions on their long-term stability. In order to provide meaningful predictions,
such models must contain an appropriate reflection of mechanical properties. Detailed geometrical and density information is now
readily available from CT scanning. However, despite the use of phantoms, a method of determining mechanical properties (or
elastic constants) from bone density has yet to be made available in a usable form.
In this study, a cadaveric bone was CT scanned and its natural frequencies were measured using modal analysis. Using the
geometry obtained from the CT scan data, a finite element mesh was created with the distribution of density established by matching
the mass of the FE bone model with the mass of the cadaveric bone. The maximum values of the orthotropic elastic constants were
then established by matching the predictions from FE modal analyses to the experimental natural frequencies, giving a maximum
error of 7.8% over 4 modes of vibration. Finally, the elastic constants of the bone derived from the analyses were compared with
those measured using ultrasound techniques. This produced a difference of o1% for both the maximum density and axial Young’s
Modulus. This study has thereby produced an orthotropic finite element model of a human femur. More importantly, however, is
the implication that it is possible to create a valid FE model by simply comparing the FE results with the measured resonant
frequency of the CT scanned bone. r 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
0021-9290/02/$ - see front matter r 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
PII: S 0 0 2 1 - 9 2 9 0 ( 0 2 ) 0 0 0 2 2 - 2
768 W.R. Taylor et al. / Journal of Biomechanics 35 (2002) 767–773
The effect of a variation in the Young’s Modulus of the (STAC SPMulti-8, V 2.1) and modal analysis software
cortical and cancellous bone of a human tibia has been (STAR 5.2) to give the natural frequencies of the bone
explored by Hobatho et al. (1991) using an isotropic and the corresponding mode shapes. A frequency range
materials model. Using CT scan supplied geometry, from 0 to 1000 Hz was investigated and five measure-
values of Young’s modulus for the two different types of ments were averaged for each degree of freedom (DOF).
bone were varied within the range of magnitudes from The modes of vibration were determined by identifying
the literature. It was found that very good agreement the global peak values in the frequency domain.
between FE predictions and experimental values of Undamped frequencies of the system were calculated
natural frequency could be obtained in this way. using
Unfortunately, the distribution of density for the actual pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
Fdamped ¼ Fundamped ð1 e2 Þ; ð4Þ
bone tested was not incorporated into the model.
Couteau et al. (1998b) compared experiments and where e is the damping.
numerical results for the first 4 natural frequencies of The bone was CT scanned (Phillips Tomoscan AV
a human femur. Errors of up to 8.1% were reported. 120 kV scanner) with slice intervals of 1 mm in the
From the literature, it is well known that modal epiphysis and 5 mm in the diaphysis, using a 512 512
analysis is capable of validating existing FE models of voxel slice density. An FE model of the bone was then
structures with complex materials distributions (Cou- created from the CT scan data using MSC/PATRAN
teau et al., 1998a, b) but these techniques have never (Version 8). The complete mesh consisted of 99732
been used to derive the properties of bone. The material nodes and 66442 quadratic tetrahedral elements and is
constants of bone are widely recognised as being better shown in Fig. 1.
modelled as orthotropic rather than isotropic (Rho, The measured Hounsfield value (HU) was determined
1996). The aim of this study therefore was to both for every element in the FE model by relating its co-
validate our orthotropic FE model and determine the ordinate position to the CT scan data. The full range of
quality of this validation using the above techniques. In measured HU values were then divided into 42 different
addition, this study aimed to establish whether modal material groups, based on intervals of 50 HU, ranging
analysis is capable of determining the distribution of from 50 HU to a maximum of 2050 HU (mid range
material constants within bone structures. values: 25, 25, 75, up to 2025). Each element was then
2. Methodology
Table 1
Initial values of elastic constants from Couteau et al. (1998a)
Table 3
Comparison of experimental results with FE modal analysis predictions
of the measuring equipment to a minimum. This meant et al., 1990) whereas ratios throughout this bone are
that multiple measurements were required for each approximately 1:1.7. Taking a standard set of initial
position along the length of the bone. In addition, the properties is a limitation in this study, but this effect
higher frequencies are more susceptible to a higher noise might be reduced if cancellous and cortical properties
to signal ratio. Both these considerations support the were to be defined separately.
idea that the FE results should be matched with the first A major implication of this study is that it may offer
frequency of vibration. the possibility of determination of a complete set of
One of the limitations of the FE model in the current orthotropic elastic constants from a single modal
study was the number of sets of material properties used measurement, together with standard CT scanning data
to represent the distribution of both mass and stiffness and the FE approach detailed in this paper. Although
throughout the bone. This was due to the assignment of this necessitates prior assumptions regarding the ratios
orthotropic constants—a process that required a differ- of the elastic constants, which may vary from bone to
ent material type for each set of elastic constants and bone, current understanding and findings suggest that
each material orientation. A more advanced model this simple technique could yield useful results. The
could usefully incorporate properties that are able to development of this process would obviously require
vary continuously with HU number. Fourty-two mate- further experimentation, but we fully expect this to be
rial sets were regarded as sufficient for the stiffer cortical feasible and the set-up is already in place for further
bone, but further studies should increase this number exploration.
since only a small number of material sets covered the By comparing FE predictions of fundamental fre-
range of the less dense cancellous bone. The effect of a quency with modal analysis results, this study has
more sophisticated relationship linking Hounsfield demonstrated a viable technique for both validating
number with apparent density could very usefully be FE bone models and establishing the distribution of
explored. The model employed here used a quadratic orthotropic elastic constants throughout the bone.
relationship for both cortical and cancellous bone. This Comparison of mode shapes between the resulting FE
may well be appropriate for cancellous bone, but is model and the cadaveric bone displays a high level
probably an underestimate for cortical bone. agreement and therefore demonstrates the quality of the
It was necessary to supply the model with the ratios of results obtainable. The excellent agreement between the
the initial elastic constants, which, in this case, were FE predicted density and major stiffness component and
taken from Couteau et al. (1998b). Our own ratios, those determined for this bone using ultrasonic techni-
which were only acquired subsequently during ultra- ques show this approach to be viable for the determina-
sound testing (as this required destructive testing of the tion of the distribution of elastic constants.
bone), suggest that the actual ratios for this bone are
somewhat different. In comparison with the values
calculated by ultrasound, the predetermined ratios result Acknowledgements
in an underestimation of the stiffness values in the two
other mutually perpendicular directions. The signifi- Useful discussions with Dr. H. Bereiter (Raetisches
cance of this has yet to be quantified, but since it does Kantons- und Regionalspital, Abteilung Orthopaedie,
not affect the largest stiffness value (E3;max ), is not Chur, Switzerland) and Dr. H. Jacob (Universitaetskli-
expected to compromise the usefulness of the results. nik Balgrist, Zurich, Switzerland) are gratefully ac-
Further studies could incorporate minimisation techni- knowledged. Thanks are also due to Dr. Y. Deger of
ques in order to calculate the effect of variation in these Sulzer Innotec AG, Winterthur, Switzerland, who
ratios. determined the Modal Assurance Criterion values. The
Since all bone elements were modelled using the same funding for this study was provided by Sulzer Orthope-
material definition (although with varying densities), it dics AG, Winterthur, Switzerland.
was assumed that all bone obeys the same quadratic
relationship between stiffness and density and has the
same orthotropic ratios. Associated with this global
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