A Biphasic Multiscale Investigation of the Biomechanical Microenvironment of Articular Cartilage

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a debilitating joint disease that involves the degeneration of articular cartilage. Although much research has been conducted at the macroscale level, the microscale level is poorly understood. This thesis investigated the micromechanical environment of cartilage cells that is thought to regulate cell metabolic activity.The cell microenvironment was studied at six distinct locations using a multiscale post-processing approach. Microscale sub-models were developed with biphasic poroviscoelastic (BPVE) fibril-reinforced materials and tested under axial quasi-static indentation and physiological cyclic sliding.Elevated principal and shear strains, and decreased fluid pressurization were found with simulated cartilage degeneration. Maximum intracellular compressive (19%) and shear strain (15%) occurred in the superficial zone of OA chondrocytes under sliding loads. Different loading modes resulted in different strains and fluid pressures between cartilage grades that may affect cell metabolism, suggesting that use of non-physiological loads in studies of cartilage could result in erroneous conclusions.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)

Level thesis:degree_level

Master's

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Engineering, Mechanical

Grantor dc:publisher

Carleton University

Year dc:date.issued

2019

Author dc:creator

• Khan, Abdul Rehman

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright © 2019 the author(s). Theses may be used for non-commercial research, educational, or related academic purposes only. Such uses include personal study, research, scholarship, and teaching. Theses may only be shared by linking to Carleton University Institutional Repository and no part may be used without proper attribution to the author. No part may be used for commercial purposes directly or indirectly via a for-profit platform; no adaptation or derivative works are permitted without consent from the copyright owner.

Language dc:language.iso

en

DOI

10.22215/etd/2019-13441

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:carleton.scholaris.ca:20.500.14718/39704