The finite cell method for bone simulations: Verification and validation

Martin Ruess, David Tal, Nir Trabelsi, Zohar Yosibash, Ernst Rank

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Standard methods for predicting bone's mechanical response from quantitative computer tomography (qCT) scans aremainly based on classical h-version finite element methods (FEMs). Due to the low-order polynomial approximation, the need for segmentation and the simplified approach to assign a constant material property to each element in h-FE models, these often compromise the accuracy and efficiency of h-FE solutions. Herein, a non-standard method, the finite cellmethod (FCM), is proposed for predicting the mechanical response of the human femur. The FCM is free of the above limitations associated with h-FEMs and is orders of magnitude more efficient, allowing its use in the setting of computational steering. This non-standard method applies a fictitious domain approach to simplify the modeling of a complex bone geometry obtained directly from a qCT scan and takes into consideration easily the heterogeneous material distribution of the various bone regions of the femur. The fundamental principles and properties of theFCM are briefly described in relation to bone analysis, providing a theoretical basis for the comparison with the p-FEM as a reference analysis and simulation method of high quality. Both p-FEM and FCM results are validated by comparison with an in vitro experiment on a fresh-frozen femur.

Original languageAmerican English
Pages (from-to)425-437
Number of pages13
JournalBiomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology
Volume11
Issue number3-4
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Jan 2012

Keywords

  • Bone mechanics
  • Ficitious domain method
  • High-order FEM
  • Human femur

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Biotechnology
  • Modelling and Simulation
  • Mechanical Engineering

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