Computationally Efficient Finite Element Evaluation of Natural Patellofemoral Mechanics

2010 ◽  
Vol 132 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Clare K. Fitzpatrick ◽  
Mark A. Baldwin ◽  
Paul J. Rullkoetter
Keyword(s):  
Finite Element ◽  
Articular Cartilage ◽  
Rigid Body ◽  
Contact Mechanics ◽  
Contact Area ◽  
Probabilistic Methods ◽  
Computationally Efficient ◽  
Subject Specific ◽  
Contact Pressures

Finite element methods have been applied to evaluate in vivo joint behavior, new devices, and surgical techniques but have typically been applied to a small or single subject cohort. Anatomic variability necessitates the use of many subject-specific models or probabilistic methods in order to adequately evaluate a device or procedure for a population. However, a fully deformable finite element model can be computationally expensive, prohibiting large multisubject or probabilistic analyses. The aim of this study was to develop a group of subject-specific models of the patellofemoral joint and evaluate trade-offs in analysis time and accuracy with fully deformable and rigid body articular cartilage representations. Finite element models of eight subjects were used to tune a pressure-overclosure relationship during a simulated deep flexion cycle. Patellofemoral kinematics and contact mechanics were evaluated and compared between a fully deformable and a rigid body analysis. Additional eight subjects were used to determine the validity of the rigid body pressure-overclosure relationship as a subject-independent parameter. There was good agreement in predicted kinematics and contact mechanics between deformable and rigid analyses for both the tuned and test groups. Root mean square differences in kinematics were less than 0.5 deg and 0.2 mm for both groups throughout flexion. Differences in contact area and peak and average contact pressures averaged 5.4%, 9.6%, and 3.8%, respectively, for the tuned group and 6.9%, 13.1%, and 6.4%, respectively, for the test group, with no significant differences between the two groups. There was a 95% reduction in computational time with the rigid body analysis as compared with the deformable analysis. The tuned pressure-overclosure relationship derived from the patellofemoral analysis was also applied to tibiofemoral (TF) articular cartilage in a group of eight subjects. Differences in contact area and peak and average contact pressures averaged 8.3%, 11.2%, and 5.7% between rigid and deformable analyses in the tibiofemoral joint. As statistical, probabilistic, and optimization techniques can require hundreds to thousands of analyses, a viable platform is crucial to component evaluation or clinical applications. The computationally efficient rigid body platform described in this study may be integrated with statistical and probabilistic methods and has potential clinical application in understanding in vivo joint mechanics on a subject-specific or population basis.

scholarly journals Subject-Specific Finite Element Modeling of the Tibiofemoral Joint Based on CT, Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Dynamic Stereo-Radiography Data in Vivo

2014 ◽  
Vol 136 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert E. Carey ◽  
Liying Zheng ◽  
Ameet K. Aiyangar ◽  
Christopher D. Harner ◽  
Xudong Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽  
Finite Element ◽  
Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Contact Area ◽  
Resonance Imaging ◽  
Model Predictions ◽  
Subject Specific ◽  
Skeletal Kinematics ◽  
Tibiofemoral Kinematics

In this paper, we present a new methodology for subject-specific finite element modeling of the tibiofemoral joint based on in vivo computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and dynamic stereo-radiography (DSX) data. We implemented and compared two techniques to incorporate in vivo skeletal kinematics as boundary conditions: one used MRI-measured tibiofemoral kinematics in a nonweight-bearing supine position and allowed five degrees of freedom (excluding flexion-extension) at the joint in response to an axially applied force; the other used DSX-measured tibiofemoral kinematics in a weight-bearing standing position and permitted only axial translation in response to the same force. Verification and comparison of the model predictions employed data from a meniscus transplantation study subject with a meniscectomized and an intact knee. The model-predicted cartilage-cartilage contact areas were examined against “benchmarks” from a novel in situ contact area analysis (ISCAA) in which the intersection volume between nondeformed femoral and tibial cartilage was characterized to determine the contact. The results showed that the DSX-based model predicted contact areas in close alignment with the benchmarks, and outperformed the MRI-based model: the contact centroid predicted by the former was on average 85% closer to the benchmark location. The DSX-based FE model predictions also indicated that the (lateral) meniscectomy increased the contact area in the lateral compartment and increased the maximum contact pressure and maximum compressive stress in both compartments. We discuss the importance of accurate, task-specific skeletal kinematics in subject-specific FE modeling, along with the effects of simplifying assumptions and limitations.

Finite Element Analysis of In Vivo Radiocarpal Contact Mechanics Resulting From Scapholunate Ligament Injury

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua E. Johnson ◽  
Phil Lee ◽  
Terence E. McIff ◽  
E. Bruce Toby ◽  
Kenneth J. Fischer
Keyword(s):  
Finite Element ◽  
Contact Mechanics ◽  
Contact Forces ◽  
Computational Method ◽  
Ligament Injury ◽  
Joint Mechanics ◽  
Interosseous Ligament ◽  
Radiocarpal Joint ◽  
Contact Pressures

Secondary osteoarthritis (OA) as a result of joint injury is a significant problem. For the wrist in particular, scapholunate dissociation, resulting from injury to the scapholunate interosseous ligament (SLIL), is a commonly occurring pathology. SLIL tears can lead to scapholunate joint instability due to abnormal motion and load transfer through multiple carpal joints. If left untreated, SLIL injury has been known to progress to scapholunate advanced collapse (or SLAC wrist) with radiocarpal OA [1]. While the pathomechanics leading to the onset of OA are not clearly understood, changes in kinematics and contact mechanics with injury are believed to be causative factors. Of particular importance are joint contact pressures and pressure distributions, which are considered to be important mechanical factors. Comparing changes in joint mechanics between normal and injured wrists may help us better understand the progression of OA and improve the efficacy of corrective measures. Several techniques exist to evaluate joint mechanics. Of these, 3D image-based computational modeling is very useful to determine in vivo joint mechanics. Finite element modeling (FEM) is the most common and widely used computational method because of the ability to obtain 3D stresses and strains, and due to software availability. Therefore the objective of this study was to compare radiocarpal joint mechanics (contact forces, contact areas, contact locations, peak and average contact pressures) from FEM between normal and injured wrists. We hypothesized that peak contact pressures and average contact pressures would be higher in the injured wrists.

scholarly journals Computationally Efficient Magnetic Resonance Imaging Based Surface Contact Modeling as a Tool to Evaluate Joint Injuries and Outcomes of Surgical Interventions Compared to Finite Element Modeling

2014 ◽  
Vol 136 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua E. Johnson ◽  
Phil Lee ◽  
Terence E. McIff ◽  
E. Bruce Toby ◽  
Kenneth J. Fischer
Keyword(s):  
Finite Element ◽  
Finite Element Modeling ◽  
Joint Mechanics ◽  
Computationally Efficient ◽  
Efficient Manner ◽  
Element Modeling ◽  
Joint Injuries ◽  
Surface Contact ◽  
Joint Contact ◽  
Contact Pressures

Joint injuries and the resulting posttraumatic osteoarthritis (OA) are a significant problem. There is still a need for tools to evaluate joint injuries, their effect on joint mechanics, and the relationship between altered mechanics and OA. Better understanding of injuries and their relationship to OA may aid in the development or refinement of treatment methods. This may be partially achieved by monitoring changes in joint mechanics that are a direct consequence of injury. Techniques such as image-based finite element modeling can provide in vivo joint mechanics data but can also be laborious and computationally expensive. Alternate modeling techniques that can provide similar results in a computationally efficient manner are an attractive prospect. It is likely possible to estimate risk of OA due to injury from surface contact mechanics data alone. The objective of this study was to compare joint contact mechanics from image-based surface contact modeling (SCM) and finite element modeling (FEM) in normal, injured (scapholunate ligament tear), and surgically repaired radiocarpal joints. Since FEM is accepted as the gold standard to evaluate joint contact stresses, our assumption was that results obtained using this method would accurately represent the true value. Magnetic resonance images (MRI) of the normal, injured, and postoperative wrists of three subjects were acquired when relaxed and during functional grasp. Surface and volumetric models of the radiolunate and radioscaphoid articulations were constructed from the relaxed images for SCM and FEM analyses, respectively. Kinematic boundary conditions were acquired from image registration between the relaxed and grasp images. For the SCM technique, a linear contact relationship was used to estimate contact outcomes based on interactions of the rigid articular surfaces in contact. For FEM, a pressure-overclosure relationship was used to estimate outcomes based on deformable body contact interactions. The SCM technique was able to evaluate variations in contact outcomes arising from scapholunate ligament injury and also the effects of surgical repair, with similar accuracy to the FEM gold standard. At least 80% of contact forces, peak contact pressures, mean contact pressures and contact areas from SCM were within 10 N, 0.5 MPa, 0.2 MPa, and 15 mm2, respectively, of the results from FEM, regardless of the state of the wrist. Depending on the application, the MRI-based SCM technique has the potential to provide clinically relevant subject-specific results in a computationally efficient manner compared to FEM.

Development and Verification of a Dynamic TKR Model

2002 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason P. Halloran ◽  
Anthony J. Petrella ◽  
Paul J. Rullkoetter
Keyword(s):  
Finite Element ◽  
Contact Mechanics ◽  
Dynamic Loading ◽  
Soft Tissues ◽  
Dynamic Models ◽  
Total Joint Replacement ◽  
Fe Model ◽  
Loading Conditions ◽  
Dynamic Loading Conditions

The success of current total knee replacement (TKR) devices is contingent on the kinematics and contact mechanics during in vivo activity. Indicators of potential clinical performance of total joint replacement devices include contact stress and area due to articulations, and tibio-femoral and patello-femoral kinematics. An effective way of evaluating these parameters during the design phase or before clinical use is via computationally efficient computer models. Previous finite element (FE) knee models have generally been used to determine contact stresses and/or areas during static or quasi-static loading conditions. The majority of knee models intended to predict relative kinematics have not been able to determine contact mechanics simultaneously. Recently, however, explicit dynamic finite element methods have been used to develop dynamic models of TKR able to efficiently determine joint and contact mechanics during dynamic loading conditions [1,2]. The objective of this research was to develop and validate an explicit FE model of a TKR which includes tibio-femoral and patello-femoral articulations and surrounding soft tissues. The six degree-of-freedom kinematics, kinetics and polyethylene contact mechanics during dynamic loading conditions were then predicted during gait simulation.

scholarly journals A 3D study of the contact surface developed by the contact between the tires and the structural pavements

Exacta ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 197-208
Author(s):  
Alex Alves Bandeira ◽  
Rita Moura Fortes ◽  
João Virgílio Merighi
Keyword(s):  
Finite Element ◽  
Contact Mechanics ◽  
Contact Area ◽  
Augmented Lagrangian Method ◽  
Numerical Results ◽  
Real Contact Area ◽  
The Real ◽  
Real Contact ◽  
Commercial Program ◽  
Contact Surfaces

The basic aim in this work is to present a new technique to analyze the contact surfaces developed by the contact between the tires and the structural pavements by numerical simulations, using 3D finite element formulations with contact mechanics. For this purpose, the Augmented Lagrangian method is used. This study is performed just putting the tires on the structural pavement. These tires and the structural pavement are discretized by finite elements under large 3D elastoplastic deformation. The real loads (of aircrafts, trucks or cars) are applied directly on each tire and by contact mechanics procedures, the real contact area between the tires and the pavement surface is computed. The penetration conditions and the contact interfaces are investigated in details. Furthermore, the pressure developed at the contact surfaces is automatically calculated and transferred to the structural pavement by contact mechanics techniques. The purpose of this work research is to show that the contact area is not circular and the finite element techniques can calculate automatically the real contact area, the real geometry and its stresses and strains. In the end of this work, numerical results in terms of geometry, stress and strain are presented and compared to show the ability of the algorithm. These numerical results are also compared with the numerical results obtained by the commercial program ANSYS.

Computer-Aided Modelling of Cloth Deformation

1996 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. F. Zhao ◽  
S. T. Tan ◽  
T. N. Wong ◽  
W. J. Chen
Keyword(s):  
Finite Element Method ◽  
Exact Solution ◽  
Finite Element ◽  
Rigid Body ◽  
Present Method ◽  
Geometric Constraint ◽  
Computationally Efficient ◽  
Large Rotation ◽  
Developable Surfaces ◽  
Computer Aided

Abstract A constrained finite element method for modelling cloth deformation is developed. The bending deformation and the geometric constraint of developable surfaces of the cloth objects are considered. The representation of large rotation and the motion of rigid body are described using the current coordinates with the geometric constraint. The effectiveness of the present method is verified by comparing the thread deformation with the exact solution of catenary. Several examples are given to show that the proposed method converges quickly and is thus computationally efficient.

Contact patterns in the ankle joint after lateral ligamentous injury during internal rotation: A computational study

2020 ◽  
Vol 235 (1) ◽  
pp. 82-88
Author(s):  
G Marta ◽  
C Quental ◽  
J Folgado ◽  
F Guerra-Pinto
Keyword(s):  
Finite Element ◽  
Contact Mechanics ◽  
Internal Rotation ◽  
Ankle Joint ◽  
Ankle Instability ◽  
Computational Study ◽  
Rotational Instability ◽  
Anterior Talofibular Ligament ◽  
Maximum Contact ◽  
Contact Pressures

Lateral ankle instability, resulting from the inability of ankle ligaments to heal after injury, is believed to cause a change in the articular contact mechanics that may promote cartilage degeneration. Considering that lateral ligaments’ insufficiency has been related to rotational instability of the talus, and that few studies have addressed the contact mechanics under this condition, the aim of this work was to evaluate if a purely rotational ankle instability could cause non-physiological changes in contact pressures in the ankle joint cartilages using the finite element method. A finite element model of a healthy ankle joint, including bones, cartilages and nine ligaments, was developed. Pure internal talus rotations of 3.67°, 9.6° and 13.43°, measured experimentally for three ligamentous configurations, were applied. The ligamentous configurations consisted in a healthy condition, an injured condition in which the anterior talofibular ligament was cut, and an injured condition in which the anterior talofibular and calcaneofibular ligaments were cut. For all simulations, the contact areas and maximum contact pressures were evaluated for each cartilage. The results showed not only an increase of the maximum contact pressures in the ankle cartilages, but also novel contact regions at the anteromedial and posterolateral sections of the talar cartilage with increasing internal rotation. The anteromedial and posterolateral contact regions observed due to pathological internal rotations of the talus are a computational evidence that supports the link between a pure rotational instability and the pattern of pathological cartilaginous load seen in patients with long-term lateral chronic ankle instability.

scholarly journals Development of a Lower Limb Finite Element Musculoskeletal Gait Simulation Framework Driven Solely by Inertial Measurement Unit Sensors

Biomechanics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 293-306
Author(s):  
Sentong Wang ◽  
Kazunori Hase ◽  
Susumu Ota
Keyword(s):  
Finite Element ◽  
Knee Joint ◽  
Contact Mechanics ◽  
Lower Limb ◽  
Inertial Measurement Unit ◽  
Measurement Unit ◽  
Muscle Forces ◽  
Inertial Measurement ◽  
Medial Side ◽  
Subject Specific

Finite element musculoskeletal (FEMS) approaches using concurrent musculoskeletal and finite element models driven by motion data such as marker-based motion trajectory can provide insight into the interactions between the knee joint secondary kinematics, contact mechanics, and muscle forces in subject-specific biomechanical investigations. However, these data-driven FEMS systems have a major disadvantage that makes them challenging to apply in clinical environments, i.e., they require expensive and inconvenient equipment for data acquisition. In this study, we developed an FEMS model of the lower limb driven solely by inertial measurement unit sensors that include the tissue geometries of the entire knee joint, and that combine modeling of 16 muscles into a single framework. The model requires only the angular velocities and accelerations measured by the sensors as input. The target outputs (knee contact mechanics, secondary kinematics, and muscle forces) are predicted from the convergence results of iterative calculations of muscle force optimization and knee contact mechanics. To evaluate its accuracy, the model was compared with in vivo experimental data during gait. The maximum contact pressure (11.3 MPa) occurred on the medial side of the cartilage at the maximum loading response. The developed framework combines measurement convenience and accurate modeling, and shows promise for clinical applications aimed at understanding subject-specific biomechanics.

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