A 3D Multiscale Modelling of Cortical Bone Structure, Using the Inverse Identification Method: Microfibril Scale Study

TL;DR

This paper develops a 3D multiscale finite element model to analyze the nanomechanical behavior of cortical bone, linking microfibril properties to overall bone mechanics using inverse identification.

Contribution

It introduces a novel multiscale modeling approach incorporating inverse identification to connect nanostructure properties with macroscopic bone behavior.

Findings

Cross-link effects significantly influence nanomechanical properties.

Inverse method effectively links microfibril characteristics to bone mechanics.

Model provides detailed insights into collagen mineral interactions.

Abstract

Complexity and heterogeneity of bone tissue require a multiscale modelling to understand their mechanical behaviour and their remodelling mechanism. Human cortical bone structure consists of six structural scale levels which are the (macroscopic) cortical bone, osteonal, lamellar, fibrous, fibril and microfibril. In this paper, a 3D model based on finite elements method was achieved to study the nanomechanical behaviour of collagen Microfibril. The mechanical properties and the geometry (gap, overlap and diameter) of both tropocollagen and mineral were taken into consideration as well as the effects of cross-links. An inverse identification method has been applied to determine equivalent averaged properties in order to link up these nanoscopic characteristics to the macroscopic mechanical behaviour of bone tissue. Results of nanostructure modelling of the nanomechanical properties of strain deformation under varying cross-links were investigated in this work.