Deformation analysis in biomaterials using digital speckle interferometry

Abstract

One of the most interesting points when evaluating the response of an implanted prosthesis is the knowledge of how biomaterials behave under a certain deforming stress. Obviously, the greater the stress on a particular moment, the higher possibility of the failure implant. But in many cases, the most important fact regarding the implant failure is due to a lesser stress that is continuously applied. Therefore it is helpful to know how biomaterials respond to this lesser stress. Digital speckle interferometry (DSPI) is suitable for this type of determination because of it is a highly sensitive and non-invasive optical technique. The aim of the presented work is determining the elasticity of biomaterials such as osseous structures and implants used to replace bones and to fix fractures between them. In particular, preliminary results were obtained applied to macerated human radius and a titanium screw used to treat the fractures of this bone. The analysis shows high correlation ratios in determining Young's modulus via DSPI technique in comparison with than that obtained by creation of the bone computer aided design (CAD) model using finite element method (FEM) in ANSYS software. The high degree of concordance between the results of both methods makes it possible to continue studying osseous samples with a fixed implant, and also other implants made of different alloys.