The need for the development of rigorous analytical models of the knee joint to clarify the role of mechanical factors in joint disorders such as that caused by meniscal tears, long been recognized. In response to this need, a general three dimensional nonlinear finite element model has been developed as part of this work and has been applied to the investigation of the meniscal responses when the joint itself is subjected to 3D complex loading. / The geometry of the model has been obtained from the results of in vitro measurements performed on three adult human knee specimens. The method of measurements combination of computed tomography, a travelling dial gauge system, and a cutting procedure. / The model's analysis accounts for both geometric and material nonlinearities, and is based on a representation of each meniscus as a composite of collagen fibers reinforcing matrix or ground substance. The sticking, sliding, and separation conditions at the meniscus-bone and at the ligament-bone interfaces have been treated as a general moving contact problem. The stress-strain relations, describing the materials of the meniscal matrix and fibers, have been derived from the results of elongation tests of more than 500 samples prepared from different zones and regions of human menisci. Similarly, the stress-strain relations, describing the materials of the major ligaments of the knee joint including transverse ligament, have been derived from elongation tests of bone-ligament-bone prepared from 10 human cadaveric knees. / The model predictions have been validated by direct comparison with measurements, performed on human cadaveric knee as part of the present work and with the measurements reported in the literature. The responses of the menisci have then been determined and analyzed for a joint under a compressive load alone, or combined with a tibial axial rotation, and a tibial anterior translation. The stress strain results have been correlated with the meniscal injuries reported clinically. Furthermore, an injury mechanism for the meniscal tears has been proposed and the supporting clinical evidence has been presented.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:QMM.40010 |
| Date | January 1995 |
| Creators | Tissakht, Mustapha |
| Contributors | Ahmed, Abdul M. (advisor) |
| Publisher | McGill University |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Coverage | Doctor of Philosophy (Department of Mechanical Engineering.) |
| Rights | All items in eScholarship@McGill are protected by copyright with all rights reserved unless otherwise indicated. |
| Relation | alephsysno: 001485188, proquestno: NN12498, Theses scanned by UMI/ProQuest. |
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