Ondřej Jiroušek

Evaluation of strain field in microstructures using micro-CT and digital volume correlation

X-ray digital micro-tomography was employed for precise strain measurement which is essential for evaluation of the experiments with small samples of trabecular bone. X-ray Digital Volumetric Correlation (DVC) method was used to identify the three-dimensional strain field in loaded complex microstructure. DVC relies on tracking selected sample points within the three-dimensional image data throughout the sequence of captured projections. In this study an improved DVC method is applied for evaluation of the strain field in trabecular bone sample subjected to compressive loading. The deformed sample was tomographically scanned using micro-focus X-ray tube and the single-photon counting silicon pixel detector Medipix2.

Finite Element Model of Human Skull Used for Head Injury Criteria Assessment

Development and validation of detailed 3-D finite element model of human skull used for explicit dynamic simulation of impact conditions is presented in the paper. The FE model is based on the series of computer tomography scans of resolution 512×512 pixels taken in 1mm slices. Fully automated direct generation of the volumetric tetrahedral mesh based on the Marching Cubes Algorithm, Laplacian smoothing and Delaunay tetrahedralisation is used to develop the geometry of both the human skull and the brain.

High resolution X-ray imaging of bone-implant interface by large area flat-panel detector

The aim of the research was to investigate the cemented bone-implant interface be- havior (cement layer degradation and bone-cement interface debonding) with emphasis on imaging techniques suitable to detect the early defects in the cement layer. To simulate in vivo conditions a human pelvic bone was implanted with polyurethane acetabular cup using commercial acrylic bone cement. The implanted cup was then loaded in a custom hip simulator to initiate fatigue crack prop- agation in the bone cement. The pelvic bone was then repetitively scanned in a micro-tomography device. Reconstructed tomography images showed failure processes that occurred in the cement layer during the first 250 , 000 cycles. A failure in cemented acetabular implant — debonding, crumbling and smeared cracks — has been found to be at the bone-cement interface. Use of micro-focus source and high resolution flat panel detector of large physical dimensions allowed to r econstruct the micro-structural models suitable for investigation of migration, micro-motions and consecutive loosening of the implant. The large area flat panel detector with physical dimensions 1 20 × 120 mm with 50μm pixel size provided a superior image quality compared to clinical CT systems with 300 − 150 μm pixel size.

Real-time X-ray microradiographic imaging and image correlation for local strain mapping in single trabecula under mechanical load

X-ray microradiography was employed to quantify the strains in loaded human trabecula. Samples of isolated trabeculae from human proximal femur were extracted and glued in a loading machine specially designed and manufactured for testing small specimens. The samples were then tested in tension and three-point bending until complete fracture of the specimen occured. To assess the deformation in the very small samples (thickness 100?m, length 1?2mm) a real-time microradiography in conjunction with digital image correlation (DIC) has been employed. Loaded samples were irradiated continuously by X-rays (Hamamatsu L8601-01 with 5?m spot) during the test. Radiographs were acquired using 0.25s exposure time with hybrid single-photon counting silicon pixel detector Medipix2. The distance between the source and detector was kept small to ensure radiographs of good quality for such a short exposure time. Design of the experimental loading device enables for precise control of the applied displacement which is important for the post-yield behavior assessment of trabeculae. Large dynamic range, high sensitivity and high contrast of the Medipix2 enables measuring even very small strains with DIC. Tested experimental setup enables to combine micromechanical testing of the basic building block of trabecular bone with time-lapse X-ray radiography to measure the strains and to assess the mechanical properties of single human trabecula as well as to capture the softening curve with sufficient precision.

Identification of strain fields in pure Al and hybrid Ni/Al metal foams using X-ray micro-tomography under loading

Hybrid foams are materials formed by a core from a standard open cell metal foam that is during the process of electrodeposition coated by a thin layer of different nanocrystalline metals. The material properties of the base metal foam are in this way modified resulting in higher plateau stress and, more importantly, by introduction of strain-rate dependence to its deformation response. In this paper, we used time-lapse X-ray micro-tomography for the mechanical characterization of Ni/Al hybrid foams (aluminium open cell foams with nickel coating layer). To fully understand the effects of the coating layer on the materials effective properties, we compared the compressive response of the base uncoated foam to the response of the material with coating thickness of 50 and 75 μm. Digital volume correlation (DVC) was applied to obtain volumetric strain fields of the deforming micro-structure up to the densification region of the deforming cellular structure. The analysis was performed as a compressive mechanical test with simultaneous observation using X-ray radiography and tomography. A custom design experimental device was used for compression of the foam specimens in several deformation states directly in the X-ray setup. Planar X-ray images were taken during the loading phases and a X-ray tomography was performed at the end of each loading phase (up to engineering strain 22%). The samples were irradiated using micro-focus reflection type X-ray tube and images were taken using a large area flat panel detector. Tomography reconstructions were used for an identification of a strain distribution in the foam using digital volumetric correlation. A comparison of the deformation response of the coated and the uncoated foam in uniaxial quasi-static compression is summarized in the paper.

Verification of Numerical Model for Trabecular Tissue Using Compression Test and Time-Lapse X-Ray Radiography Based on Material Model Determined from Three-Point Bending Test of Single Trabecula

The aim of this study is to determine constitutive constants for elasto-plastic material model with damage for single trabecula based on the indirect simulation of micromechanical testing and its verification at macro level using compression test of the cylindrical sample of the trabecular tissue. Three-point bending test of isolated trabeculae was performed in a shielding box and deflection of the sample was acquired using X-ray microradiography. Measured values (displacements of markers) were used for indirect identification of the material model for single trabecula using finite element (FE) method. The bending test was simulated and results were fitted to experimentally obtained values and the appropriate set of material constants was determined. To verify the applicability of the identified material model the compression test of the complex sample was carried out. Cylindrical sample was incrementally loaded and each loading state was captured using the micro-computed tomography. Material model identified from three-point bending test was applied to the model of complex sample and the simulation of the compression test was performed.

Numerical modelling of the reinforcing effect of geosynthetic material used in ballasted railway tracks

This article deals with finite-element (FE) modelling of the reinforcing effect of the geosynthetic material used in the construction of a ballasted track. Various different designs of geosynthetic material are studied and their reinforcing effects are evaluated in terms of the total settlement reduction. Three-dimensional FE models of the reinforced railway superstructure are compared to a reference FE model with no reinforcement. Each geosynthetic material is modelled respecting its material properties, and the interaction with the ballast material is simulated according to its primary function. A clear distinction in the modelling of the interaction with the ballast material is made between geogrids and the remaining geosynthetics. A new approach to model the reinforcing effect of a geogrid is proposed and evaluated by FE analysis. The results of numerical modelling are compared to those of experiments conducted using an experimental box instrumented with one half of an instrumented concrete sleeper. Different types of geosynthetics were used to reinforce the ballast material, and the settlement reduction was measured using linear variable differential transformer (LVDT) sensors. The proposed FE models enable quick evaluation of the reinforcing effect of a given geosynthetic and comparison to other possible solutions in terms of the total settlement reduction. Other design possibilities (e.g. the use of reinforcing geosynthetics in several layers) are briefly discussed, too.

Instrumentation for Micromechanics Research in Trabecular Bone

This article deals with description of instrumentation required for micromechanical testing of isolated trabeculae, the basic structural elements of cancellous bone. Process of tensile and bending tests is described in terms of development of the testing devices, challenges connected with the micro-scale testing and precision of the measurements. The paper covers the whole testing procedure from tissue harvesting, sample preparation, experimental procedure and data evaluation. Inverse finite element identification of elasto-plastic material model with damage based on threepoint bending for simulation of deformation behaviour of trabecular bone is shortly discussed as well.

SEMI–AUTOMATED ASSESSMENT OF MICROMECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF THE METAL FOAMS ON THE CELL-WALL LEVEL

Metal foams are innovative porous material used for wide range of application such as deformation energy or sound absorption, filter material, or microbiological incubation carrier. To predict mechanical properties of the metal foam is necessary to precisely describe elasto–plastic properties of the foam on cell–wall level. Indentation with low load is suitable tool for this purpose. In this paper custom designed instrumented microindentation device was used for measurement of cell-wall characteristics of two different aluminium foams (ALPORAS and ALCORAS). To demonstrate the possibility of automated statistical estimation of measured characteristics the device had been enhanced by semi-automatic indent positioning and evaluation procedures based on user-defined grid. Vickers hardness was measured on two samples made from ALPORAS aluminium foam and one sample from ALCORAS aluminium foam. Average Vickers hardness of ALPORAS foam was 24.465HV1.019 and average Vickers hardness of ALCORAS was 36.585HV1.019.

Inspection of Local Influenced Zones in Micro-Scale Aluminium Specimens

This study is focused on detection and characterisation of influenced zones in micro-scale specimens of aluminium foam after thermal and mechanical loading induced by preparation process for three-point bending test. Two cell-wall specimens were prepared from a slab of aluminium foam and influences of preparation process (machining) and thermal load on local mechanical properties were investigated using nanoindentation. Although the nanoindentation is powerful method for investigation of material properties of small zones, it can be reliably used only to obtain information about elastic properties. Due to limitation of the nanoindentation for reliable measurement of inelastic properties, plastic properties were determined using a set of indirect finite element simulations of nanoindentation tests. The procedure is based on fitting numerical results to experimentally measured force-depth curves.