Comparison of Deformable and Elastic Foundation Finite Element Simulations for Predicting Knee Replacement Mechanics

2005 ◽  
Vol 127 (5) ◽  
pp. 813-818 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason P. Halloran ◽  
Sarah K. Easley ◽  
Anthony J. Petrella ◽  
Paul J. Rullkoetter

Rigid body total knee replacement (TKR) models with tibiofemoral contact based on elastic foundation (EF) theory utilize simple contact pressure-surface overclosure relationships to estimate joint mechanics, and require significantly less computational time than corresponding deformable finite element (FE) methods. However, potential differences in predicted kinematics between these representations are currently not well understood, and it is unclear if the estimates of contact area and pressure are acceptable. Therefore, the objectives of the current study were to develop rigid EF and deformable FE models of tibiofemoral contact, and to compare predicted kinematics and contact mechanics from both representations during gait loading conditions with three different implant designs. Linear and nonlinear contact pressure-surface overclosure relationships based on polyethylene material properties were developed using EF theory. All other variables being equal, rigid body FE models accurately estimated kinematics predicted by fully deformable FE models and required only 2% of the analysis time. As expected, the linear EF contact model sufficiently approximated trends for peak contact pressures, but overestimated the deformable results by up to 30%. The nonlinear EF contact model more accurately reproduced trends and magnitudes of the deformable analysis, with maximum differences of approximately 15% at the peak pressures during the gait cycle. All contact area predictions agreed in trend and magnitude. Using rigid models, edge-loading conditions resulted in substantial overestimation of peak pressure. Optimal nonlinear EF contact relationships were developed for specific TKR designs for use in parametric or repetitive analyses where computational time is paramount. The explicit FE analysis method utilized here provides a unique approach in that both rigid and deformable analyses can be run from the same input file, thus enabling simple selection of the most appropriate representation for the analysis of interest.

2012 ◽  
Vol 134 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Megalingam ◽  
M. M. Mayuram

The study of the contact stresses generated when two surfaces are in contact plays a significant role in understanding the tribology of contact pairs. Most of the present contact models are based on the statistical treatment of the single asperity contact model. For a clear understanding about the elastic-plastic behavior of two rough surfaces in contact, comparative study involving the deterministic contact model, simplified multi-asperity contact model, and modified statistical model are undertaken. In deterministic contact model analysis, a three dimensional deformable rough surface pressed against a rigid flat surface is carried out using the finite element method in steps. A simplified multi-asperity contact model is developed using actual summit radii deduced from the rough surface, applying single asperity contact model results. The resultant contact parameters like contact load, contact area, and contact pressure are compared. The asperity interaction noticed in the deterministic contact model analysis leads to wide disparity in the results. Observing the elastic-plastic transition of the summits and the sharing of contact load and contact area among the summits, modifications are employed in single asperity statistical contact model approaches in the form of a correction factor arising from asperity interaction to reduce the variations. Consequently, the modified statistical contact model and simplified multi-asperity contact model based on actual summit radius results show improved agreement with the deterministic contact model results.


2002 ◽  
Vol 69 (5) ◽  
pp. 657-662 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Kogut ◽  
I. Etsion

An elastic-plastic finite element model for the frictionless contact of a deformable sphere pressed by a rigid flat is presented. The evolution of the elastic-plastic contact with increasing interference is analyzed revealing three distinct stages that range from fully elastic through elastic-plastic to fully plastic contact interface. The model provides dimensionless expressions for the contact load, contact area, and mean contact pressure, covering a large range of interference values from yielding inception to fully plastic regime of the spherical contact zone. Comparison with previous elastic-plastic models that were based on some arbitrary assumptions is made showing large differences.


Author(s):  
Felix Fischer ◽  
Niklas Bauer ◽  
Hubertus Murrenhoff ◽  
Katharina Schmitz

The macroscopic geometry of ball seat valves is important for the quality of the seal. This works discusses the influence of different geometric properties on the contact area, the contact pressure and their relation to the leakage. The leakage is calculated using the results of finite element method (FEM) calculations and Persson’s percolation based method. The following properties of the seat are examined: the angle, the curvature and the eccentricity.


2003 ◽  
Vol 125 (2) ◽  
pp. 232-240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yeau-Ren Jeng ◽  
Pei-Ying Wang

This study developed an elastic-plastic microcontact model that considers the elliptical contact of surface asperities. In the elastoplastic regime, the relations of the mean contact pressure and contact area of asperity to its contact interference are modeled considering the continuity and smoothness of variables across different modes of deformation. Results obtained from this model are compared with other existing models such as that calculated by the GW, CEB, Zhao and Horng models. The elliptic contact model and circular contact model can deviate considerably in regard to the separation and real area of contact.


2008 ◽  
Vol 130 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hans A. Gray ◽  
Fulvia Taddei ◽  
Amy B. Zavatsky ◽  
Luca Cristofolini ◽  
Harinderjit S Gill

Finite element (FE) models of long bones are widely used to analyze implant designs. Experimental validation has been used to examine the accuracy of FE models of cadaveric femurs; however, although convergence tests have been carried out, no FE models of an intact and implanted human cadaveric tibia have been validated using a range of experimental loading conditions. The aim of the current study was to create FE models of a human cadaveric tibia, both intact and implanted with a unicompartmental knee replacement, and to validate the models against results obtained from a comprehensive set of experiments. Seventeen strain rosettes were attached to a human cadaveric tibia. Surface strains and displacements were measured under 17 loading conditions, which consisted of axial, torsional, and bending loads. The tibia was tested both before and after implantation of the knee replacement. FE models were created based on computed tomography (CT) scans of the cadaveric tibia. The models consisted of ten-node tetrahedral elements and used 600 material properties derived from the CT scans. The experiments were simulated on the models and the results compared to experimental results. Experimental strain measurements were highly repeatable and the measured stiffnesses compared well to published results. For the intact tibia under axial loading, the regression line through a plot of strains predicted by the FE model versus experimentally measured strains had a slope of 1.15, an intercept of 5.5 microstrain, and an R2 value of 0.98. For the implanted tibia, the comparable regression line had a slope of 1.25, an intercept of 12.3 microstrain, and an R2 value of 0.97. The root mean square errors were 6.0% and 8.8% for the intact and implanted models under axial loads, respectively. The model produced by the current study provides a tool for simulating mechanical test conditions on a human tibia. This has considerable value in reducing the costs of physical testing by pre-selecting the most appropriate test conditions or most favorable prosthetic designs for final mechanical testing. It can also be used to gain insight into the results of physical testing, by allowing the prediction of those variables difficult or impossible to measure directly.


Author(s):  
Naiquan Ye ◽  
Janne K. O̸. Gjo̸steen ◽  
Svein Sævik

Filled bodies are often built into umbilicals to support other key components such as tubes and electric elements. These bodies play an important role in transferring the contact load between bodies when the structure is loaded. The geometrical profile can be arbitrary to fill the voids within the umbilical cross section and this causes difficulties with respect to implementation into a general finite element model. Common practice is to omit the filled bodies in cross section modeling by enabling direct contact between components. However, it has been found that the friction stress will be over estimated by this method and cause over-conservative fatigue calculations. This may be critical specially for deep water dynamic umbilicals and more accurate estimation of the friction stress is therefore needed. UFLEX2D is a non-linear finite element computer program for stress analysis of complex umbilical cross sections, see [3] and [5]. The model can handle arbitrary geometries wound in an arbitrary order including filled bodies. Contact elements are used to handle the contact between bodies due to external loading. Thin-wall shell elements were used to model the steel tubes while beam elements were used for the filled bodies in the earlier version of UFLEX2D. A beam element is treated as a rigid body incapable of deforming under external loading. It has been found that the formulation of the beam element for the filled bodies yields relatively large contact pressure for the neighboring element due to its rigidity. As a consequence, friction stress owing to the contact pressure is overestimated by the choice of the beam element for the filled bodies, however, it will be smaller than the direct contact modeling technique mentioned above. A new element type, i.e. a beam-shell element, has been developed to represent the filled bodies so as to improve the contact formulation between the filled bodies and the other surrounding structural elements. Unlike the beam element, the beam-shell element is able to deform, therefore the contact area is varying while the external load updates. The friction stress will be accordingly affected by the redistribution of the contact pressure on an updated contact area. The paper outlines how different implementations of the filled bodies will affect the distribution of the contact pressure as well as the friction stress under cyclical loading. The effect of the original contact area, as well as the development of the contact area is also a part of the study fot the three alternative models investigated.


2005 ◽  
Vol 127 (2) ◽  
pp. 325-330 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Yang ◽  
K. Komvopoulos

The impact of a rigid sphere moving at constant velocity on elastic homogeneous half-space was analyzed by the finite element method. Frictionless dynamic contact was modeled with special contact elements at the half-space surface. A dimensionless parameter, β, was introduced to study the effect of wave propagation on the deformation behavior. For small surface interference (β⩽1), the front of the faster propagating dilatational waves extends up to the contact edge, the real contact area is equal to the truncated area, and the contact pressure distribution is uniform. However, for large surface interference (β>1), the dilatation wave front extends beyond the contact edge, the real contact area is less than the truncated area, and the contact pressure exhibits a Hertzian-like distribution. The mean contact pressure increases abruptly at the instant of initial contact, remains constant for β⩽1, and increases gradually for β>1. Based on finite element results for the subsurface stress, strain, and velocity fields, a simple theoretical model that yields approximate closed-form relationships for the mean contact pressure and kinetic and strain energies of the half-space was derived for small surface interference (β⩽1), and its validity was confirmed by favorable comparisons with finite element results.


2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 765-780
Author(s):  
Qingchao Sun ◽  
Xiaokai Mu ◽  
Bo Yuan ◽  
Jiawen Xu ◽  
Wei Sun

PurposeThis paper aims to distinguish the relationship between the morphology characteristics of different scales and the contact performance of the mating surfaces. Also, an integrated method of the spectrum analysis and the wavelet transform is used to separate the morphology characteristics of the actual machined parts.Design/methodology/approachFirst, a three-dimensional (3D) surface profilometer is used to obtain the surface morphology data of the actual machined parts. Second, the morphology characteristics of different scales are realized by the wavelet analysis and the power spectral density. Third, the reverse modeling engineering is used to construct the 3D contact models for the macroscopic characteristics. Finally, the finite element method is used to analyze the contact stiffness and the contact area of the 3D contact model.FindingsThe contact area and the nominal contact pressure Pn have a nonlinear relationship in the whole compression process for the 3D contact model. The percentage of the total contact area of the macro-scale mating surface is about 70 per cent when the contact pressure Pn is in the range of 0-100 MPa, and the elastic contact area accounts for the vast majority. Meanwhile, when the contact pressure Pn is less than 10MPa, the influence factor (the relative error of contact stiffness) is larger than 50 per cent, so the surface macro-scale morphology has a weakening effect on the normal contact stiffness of the mating surfaces.Originality/valueThis paper provides an effective method for the multi-scale separation of the surface morphology and then lays a certain theoretical foundation for improving the surface quality of parts and the morphology design.


2013 ◽  
Vol 367 ◽  
pp. 73-77
Author(s):  
You Shan Wang ◽  
Zhi Bo Cui ◽  
Qiang Liu

When designing a tire, a good contact pressure distribution and a good contact area are necessary. The contact pressure and contact area are determined by tire material and structure, but there is few public researches on these. So, in this article, tire material properties’ influence on tire/road contact pressure and area are analyzed by using finite element method. The results show that there are ten rubber materials have negative correlation with contact pressure, the most effective material is tread rubber; there are four rebar materials have positive relation with contact pressure, the major is the first belt rebar. But they are different in contact area: the most effective rebar to contact area is bead rebar. The positive and negative effect factors and the effect coefficients are obtained for the seventeen rubber materials and seven rebar materials in tire about contact pressure and contact area. That has an important guidance on tire design and engineering applications.


Author(s):  
Ehsan Askari ◽  
Michael S Andersen

Using Hertz contact law results in inaccurate outcomes when applied to the soft conformal hip implants. The finite element method also involves huge computational time and power. In addition, the sliding distance computed using the Euler rotation method does not incorporate tribology of bearing surfaces, contact mechanics and inertia forces. This study, therefore, aimed to develop a nonlinear dynamic model based on the multibody dynamic methodology to predict contact pressure and sliding distance of metal-on-polyethylene hip prosthesis, simultaneously, under normal walking condition. A closed-form formulation of the contact stresses distributed over the articulating surfaces was derived based upon the elastic foundation model, which reduced computational time and cost significantly. Three-dimensional physiological loading and motions, inertia forces due to hip motion and energy loss during contact were incorporated to obtain contact properties and sliding distance. Comparing the outcomes with that available in the literature and a finite element analysis allowed for the validation of our approach. Contours of contact stresses and accumulated sliding distances at different instants of the walking gait cycle were investigated and discussed. It was shown that the contact point at each instant was located within the zone with the corresponding highest accumulated sliding distance. In addition, the maximum contact pressure and area took place at the stance phase with a single support. The stress distribution onto the cup surface also conformed to the contact point trajectory and the physiological loading.


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