Exploring the Multifaceted Dynamics of Cartilage: A Comparative Modeling Study

Abstract

Cartilage numeric models play a vital role in advancing our understanding of cartilage mechanics, disease progression, and the development of clinical interventions. The aim of this study is to investigate the influence of different mathematical models on cartilage mechanical behavior over time. A comparative analysis was conducted across three scenarios: the single-phase, biphasic, and fibril-reinforced poroelastic models. To understand how cartilage behaves over time, a 1000-second ramp relaxation displacement was applied. The findings reveal that the single-phase model falls short of capturing the time-dependent characteristics of cartilage. Conversely, the inclusion of fluid and collagen fibrils within the cartilage model significantly enhances cartilage resilience and enables the cartilage to behave non-linearly. The results presented herein make a substantial contribution to a deeper and more holistic comprehension of cartilage's dynamic behavior under compressive loads, shedding light on the intricate interplay between fluid pressure and fibril reinforcement.