An enhanced version of a bone-remodelling model based on the continuum damage mechanics theory

Abstract

The purpose of this work was to propose an enhancement of Doblaré and García's internal bone remodelling model based on the continuum damage mechanics (CDM) theory. In their paper, they stated that the evolution of the internal variables of the bone microstructure, and its incidence on the modification of the elastic constitutive parameters, may be formulated following the principles of CDM, although no actual damage was considered. The resorption and apposition criteria (similar to the damage criterion) were expressed in terms of a mechanical stimulus. However, the resorption criterion is lacking a dimensional consistency with the remodelling rate. We propose here an enhancement to this resorption criterion, insuring the dimensional consistency while retaining the physical properties of the original remodelling model. We then analyse the change in the resorption criterion hypersurface in the stress space for a two-dimensional (2D) analysis. We finally apply the new formulation to analyse the structural evolution of a 2D femur. This analysis gives results consistent with the original model but with a faster and more stable convergence rate.

Keywords::

• anisotropic bone remodelling
• computational biomechanics
• model dimensions

Notes

^1. Current address: Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.