AN FE-EXPERIMENTAL METHOD FOR DETERMINING QCT-BASED CORTICAL BONE FRACTURE TOUGHNESS AND ULTIMATE STRESS [Keynote]

Cortical bone fracture prediction using Phase Field Models (PFMs) requires the data on the spatial distribution of bone fracture toughness and ultimate stress. However such correlations with qCT parameters or associated bone density are not yet available in the literature. Here, we proposed an FE-Experimental method to determine bone fracture toughness and ultimate stress for different densities and find out potential correlations. Digital Image Correlation (DIC) and diverse standards for KIc calculation show values ranging from 2 to 9 MPa√m. Although it is consistent with reported data in the literature, further work is being conducted using qCT-scans and micro-CT data as well as Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to estimate bone density and determine more accurately the associated fracture toughness and ultimate stress.
EXTENDED ABSTRACT