MODELING CRACK PROPAGATION PROCESS IN CORTICAL BONE MICROSTRUCTURE
Palavras-chave:
Cortical bone, Finite element method, Damage mechanics, Mesh fragmentation techniqueResumo
This work aims to simulate the crack initiation and propagation processes in cortical
bone using a two-dimensional mesh fragmentation technique. High aspect ratio elements (triangle
elements with height much smaller than its length) are inserted between the regular constant strain
triangle finite elements, and their behavior is described by a tensile-damage model (stress-strain
relation). The constitutive model is integrated using an implicit-explicit (Impl-Ex) scheme in order to
avoid convergence problems. The proposed approach is applied to simulate cortical bone
microstructures, described as a 4-phased material: interstitial matrix, cement line, osteon and
Haversian canal. The methodology is validated through the simulation of conceptual problems
available in literature, in which the influence of the cortical bone microstructure in crack propagation
process is assessed in three-point bending tests, by considering the presence of one and two osteons.
