An Anisotropic Analysis of Human Femur Bone with Walking Posture: Experimental and Numerical Analysis

Abstract

Load-bearing bones have a capacity to ground the load from the point of impact to the opposite end (distal end) of the same bone irrespective of the direction of (inclination) impact forces. This is only possible due to highly heterogeneous microstructure of bones. In such circumstances, it is unjustified to assume bone to be isotropic in nature. Therefore, a correction factor is introduced while assuming material property of the bone, and thus non-isotropic modeling was considered. In this study, stress analysis of proximal femur bone with isotropic and anisotropic (non-isotropic) material property is modeled while the reaction force corresponding to walking cycle is implemented at the femur head. The results showed a significant variation of 30–45% while evaluating Von-Mises stress and strain developed on the femur bone under different loading conditions. Maximum Von-Mises stress is found on the lateral-interior side of femur, while maximum strain is identified on the same plane near the neck region of femur head. This study concludes the significance of anisotropic modeling of femur bone subjected to variable loading condition.