An investigation of animal and human bones for predicting probable location of fractures.

Abstract

Predicting location of fracture in animal and human bones has been a keen area of research for the past few decades. It has been established that it is various types of stress that results into bone failure. Past studies were mostly based on experimental testing of variety of bones with limited accuracy equipment leading to experimental errors. An effort has been made in present research to use latest experimental testing equipment in parallel with some modern techniques and tools such as 3D scanners for creating computer models and Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to conduct structural analysis that could allow unlimited changes in boundary conditions expected to be faced by a bone. Human tibia was selected for this study. Its properties of hardness and deformation due to applied stress were investigated experimentally through destructive testing. We observed loads at which it started to crack along with its location. It was followed by FEA of its 3D scanned model. Boundary conditions were set close to experimental testing. Experimental results were compared to FEA to establish how accurately simulations could be used the load values leading to cracks as well as their location. Literature on simultaneous use of FEA and experimental testing for the same bone is limited. Here the objective was to formulate a process of analyzing human bones through FEA rather than experimental testing in future studies. The research also demonstrates that experimental tests have the limitations of specimen availability and also its number to conduct large number of tests for repeatability as well as varying test conditions. Whereas once a 3D scan of a bone is obtained, the same could be used for FEA by changing boundary conditions in computer software to simulate variety of testing conditions. FEA has proven itself as a reliable tool for such applications in aerospace, automotive, ship and marine and building structures. Its application in biomechanical has limited contributions.