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An analytical poroelastic model for laboratorial mechanical testing of the articular cartilage (AC)

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Abstract

The articular cartilage (AC) can be seen as a biphasic poroelastic material. The cartilage deformation under compression mainly leads to an interstitial fluid flow in the porous solid phase. In this paper, an analytical poroelastic model for the AC under laboratorial mechanical testing is developed. The solutions of interstitial fluid pressure and velocity are obtained. The results show the following facts. (i) Both the pressure and fluid velocity amplitudes are proportional to the strain loading amplitude. (ii) Both the amplitudes of pore fluid pressure and velocity in the AC depend more on the loading amplitude than on the frequency. Thus, in order to obtain the considerable fluid stimulus for the AC cell responses, the most effective way is to increase the loading amplitude rather than the frequency. (iii) Both the interstitial fluid pressure and velocity are strongly affected by permeability variations. This model can be used in experimental tests of the parameters of AC or other poroelastic materials, and in research of mechanotransduction and injury mechanism involved interstitial fluid flow.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Shanxi Key Laboratory of Material Strength & Structural Impact, College of Mechanics, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan, 030024, China

    Xiaogang Wu, Kuijun Chen, Zhaowei Wang, Ningning Wang, Teng Zhao, Yanan Xue, Yanqin Wang & Weiyi Chen

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  1. Xiaogang Wu
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  2. Kuijun Chen
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  3. Zhaowei Wang
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  4. Ningning Wang
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  5. Teng Zhao
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  6. Yanan Xue
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  7. Yanqin Wang
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  8. Weiyi Chen
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Correspondence to Weiyi Chen.

Additional information

Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 11632013, 11472185, and 11702183), the Natural Science Foundation of Shanxi Province (No. 2016021145), the Program for the OIT of Higher Learning Institutions of Shanxi, the State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals (No.KF 1511), and the Scientific and Technological Innovation Projects of Colleges and Universities in Shanxi Province (No. 2017135)

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Wu, X., Chen, K., Wang, Z. et al. An analytical poroelastic model for laboratorial mechanical testing of the articular cartilage (AC). Appl. Math. Mech.-Engl. Ed. 39, 813–828 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10483-018-2334-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10483-018-2334-9

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