In-Silico Prediction of Mechanical Behaviour of Uniform Gyroid Scaffolds Affected by Its Design Parameters for Bone Tissue Engineering Applications

Abstract

Due to their excellent properties, triply periodic minimal surfaces (TPMS) have been applied to design scaffolds for bone tissue engineering applications. Predicting the mechanical response of bone scaffolds in different loading conditions is vital to designing scaffolds. The optimal mechanical properties can be achieved by tuning their geometrical parameters to mimic the mechanical properties of natural bone. In this study, we designed gyroid scaffolds of different user-specific pore and strut sizes using a combined TPMS and signed distance field (SDF) method to obtain varying architecture and porosities. The designed scaffolds were converted to various meshes such as surface, volume, and finite element (FE) volume meshes to create FE models with different boundary and loading conditions. The designed scaffolds under compressive loading were numerically evaluated using a finite element method (FEM) to predict and compare effective elastic moduli. The effective elastic moduli range from 0.05 GPa to 1.93 GPa was predicted for scaffolds of different architectures comparable to human trabecular bone. The results assert that the optimal mechanical properties of the scaffolds can be achieved by tuning their design and morphological parameters to match the mechanical properties of human bone.

Computational Modelling and Simulation of Scaffolds for Bone Tissue Engineering

“…In this research, methods to create surface/volume/FE meshes from a gyroid lattice were explained to create FE models for the compressive loading simulation (Figure 8). The results revealed that the predicted elastic moduli of the scaffolds were in the range of 0.05 to 1.93 GPa and gave an insight into how the required mechanical properties can be achieved by tuning the morphological parameters of the scaffold [84]. However, it is imperative to note that this linearity holds only within the linear elastic region of a material.…”

“…In a linear isotropic material model, the properties of materials do not change with direction. Musthafa et al [84] designed gyroid-based TPMS scaffolds of titanium alloys with different pore sizes using the signed distance field method and applied compressive loading using linear elastic FEM-based simulation to evaluate their effective elastic modulus for BTE applications. In this research, methods to create surface/volume/FE meshes from a gyroid lattice were explained to create FE models for the compressive loading simulation (Figure 8).…”

Integrating Materials in Non-Thermal Plasma Reactors: Challenges and Opportunities

“…In this regard, mathematical modulation of pore size through characteristic equations could facilitate in silico post-plasma optimization. 78 This approach is possible for parametric surfaces such as TPMS, while randomized transformation can yield optimization of non-parametric POCS such as additive manufactured strutbased foams. 79 Ultimately, the success of these approaches in the future will be determined by the accessibility of computational power on high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructures and the progress in combined plasma−materials research.…”

“…The coupling of plasma and post-plasma models is yet to be evaluated and could lead to the first model-based optimization of integrated plasma processes. In this regard, mathematical modulation of pore size through characteristic equations could facilitate in silico post-plasma optimization . This approach is possible for parametric surfaces such as TPMS, while randomized transformation can yield optimization of non-parametric POCS such as additive manufactured strut-based foams .…”