Nonlinear analysis of Human hard tissues using finite element code in MATLAB

Abstract: The Development of patient-specific medical Implants is highly appreciated which requires prior determination of porous and mechanical characteristics. This is because the increase in porosity decreases the mechanical properties and increases the damping factor which leads to subsequent bone loss upon healing or remodeling. Bone is a living material that provides structural support to the body and therefore enabling locomotion and protection of the living being. On the contrary to isotropic materials from classical mechanics, this type of tissue can respond adaptively to its environment. Apart from the natural growth during aging and fracture healing, which are temporary, the internal structure is remodeled and repaired naturally based on the nature of the lifestyle. This work primarily aims at the formulation and development of a finite element program using MATLAB to study the non-linear behavior of hard tissues. The results from FEA software are validated with NAFEMS benchmark problems and the experimental results.

Keywords: Finite element analysis, MATLAB, Bone, Damage model, Biomechanics