Finite element analysis of cell-material interaction on hydrated soft material of cartilage

Abstract

The role of viscoelasticity of collagen fibers in articular cartilage was examined in compression and tension, using stress relaxation measurements in axial direction (normal to the articular surface). In this study, the degree of inherent stiffness anisotropy of completely-decomposed element was evaluated using finite element method. The model accounted for elastic deformations of the nanostructure in contact and assumed laminar flow in the created voids. The stiffness parameters from the laboratory tests were utilized in analysis which the elasticity of the solid phase was investigated in the present study. The results were suggested that the dominant mechanism for stress relaxation arose from fluid pressurization, while the associated relaxation in collagen fibers mainly was resulted in an increase in radial strain. Furthermore, Young’s modulus normal to the contact surface was increased from the superficial to the deep zone in articular cartilage.