3D strain map of axially loaded mouse tibia: a numerical analysis validated by experimental measurements

Abstract

A combined experimental/numerical study was performed to calculate the 3D octahedral shear strain map in a mouse tibia loaded axially. This study is motivated by the fact that the bone remodelling analysis, in this in vivo mouse model should be performed at the zone of highest mechanical stimulus to maximise the measured effects. Accordingly, it is proposed that quantification of bone remodelling should be performed at the tibial crest and at the distal diaphysis. The numerical model could also be used to furnish a more subtle analysis as a precise correlation between local strain and local biological response can be obtained with the experimentally validated numerical model.

Keywords:

• mechanical loading
• bone remodelling
• strain quantification
• tibia

Acknowledgements

Project no. 04-P2 was supported by the AO Research Fund of the AO Foundation, Davos, Switzerland. We greatly acknowledge Marc Jeanneret for his technical support in designing and building the compression machine, Dr Kossi Agbeviade and André Badertscher for their support with micro strain-gages manipulation. We also thank Tyler Thacher for English editing.