bone remodeling & fracture

Advancing equine fracture risk prediction

Quick overview of the research:

In this PhD project, a computational tool assessing fracture risk in horse racing, specifically targeting metacarpal bone fractures, has been developed (Lewandowski, 2020; Lewandowski et al., 2021; Lewandowski et al., 2020; Lewandowski et al., 2019).

Development of Computational Tools: Implementation of finite element models, using state-of-the-art imaging (CT scans) and segmentation algorithms, enables accurate simulation of bone remodeling under specific loads. This aids in assessing the fracture resistance of equine metacarpal bones, a critical aspect in preventing racing injuries.

Accurate Bone Representation: Utilizing advanced numerical analysis techniques, including Moving Weighted Least Squares approximation and L2-projection, the research accurately captures the complex geometry and material properties of bones. This precise representation is fundamental in assessing fracture risks and understanding bone behavior under stress.

Procedure of mapping CT-data using MWLS.

Simulation of Bone Adaptation: The research introduces a novel finite element method to simulate adaptive bone changes, rooted in the thermodynamics of open systems. This approach has shown promising potential in accurately simulating long-term bone responses to various training conditions, significantly impacting treatment strategies for bone implants.

Example results for bone remodelling of proximal femur with an implant and equine metacarpal, a phenomenological model utilised in the study

Fracture Risk Assessment: A critical part of the research involved comparing two approaches for crack propagation analysis: smeared phase-field and discrete configurational mechanics. This comparison revealed the capabilities and limitations of each method in predicting crack paths in heterogeneous bodies, highlighting the phase-field’s relative inefficiency due to finer mesh requirements.

Assesing fracture propoensity of bones with heterogeneous material properties using fracture mechanics

Validation and Implications: Through rigorous numerical simulations, including studies on equine metacarpal bones, the research validated the effectiveness of the developed framework. It demonstrated how bone adaptation history and density distribution critically influence fracture resistance and crack paths. These insights provide a novel framework for simulating changes in bone structure in response to exercise and quantifying fracture likelihood.

References

2021

  1. PToRSA
    A computational framework for crack propagation in spatially heterogeneous materials
    Karol Lewandowski ,  Łukasz Kaczmarczyk ,  Ignatios Athanasiadis , and 2 more authors
    Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A, 2021
    Bib

2020

  1. Dissertation
    Numerical investigation of bone adaptation to exercise and fracture in Thoroughbred racehorses
    Karol Lewandowski
    2020
    Bib HTML
  2. arXiv
    Numerical investigation into fracture resistance of bone following adaptation
    Karol Lewandowski ,  Łukasz Kaczmarczyk ,  Ignatios Athanasiadis , and 2 more authors
    CoRR, 2020
    Bib

2019

  1. Proceedings
    Modelling of crack propagation in heterogeneous materials like bones
    Karol Lewandowski ,  Kaczmarczyk ,  John F. Marshall , and 1 more author
    In , Apr 2019
    Bib HTML