Prediction of mechanical properties of human rib cortical bone using fractal dimension

Abstract

A large number of post mortem human subjects was used to investigate the relation between the micro-structure of rib cortical bone and the mechanical properties using Fractal Dimension. Uniaxial tensile tests were performed on coupons of rib cortical bone. Tensile strength, yield stress, Young’s Modulus, maximum strain, and work to fracture were determined for each coupon. Fractal dimension was computed using CT images and Digital Image Correlation procedures. A highly significant effect of fractal dimension in the mechanical properties was found. In addition, the variation in mechanical properties was found to be adequately represented by Generalized Extreme Value type distributions.

Keywords:

• Medical imaging
• human rib
• fractal dimension
• cortical bone
• mechanical properties

Disclosure statement

(1) The authors declare no conflict of interest, (2) the authors conducted this research without the help of any source of funding, and (3) this study does not involve human subjects [the samples used are from PMHS and were collected only after a permission from the relatives, according to ethical directives of IMLCFC].