Numerical and Experimental Investigations Upon Articular Cartilage Mechanical Hysteresis

Abstract

The paper presents biomechanical and tribological considerations upon articular cartilage. The experimental in vitro results from static and dynamic contact tests are presented together with numerical modelling of the cartilage behaviour. The mechanical hysteresis is emphasized from experimental and numerical data. As the tested cartilage was attached to bone tissue, there are insignificant differences between numerical and experimental results, since the elastic modulus was considered the same for loading and unloading phase. Bio-tribological aspects occurring at the biological joint interface under dynamic loading are also analyzed.