Analysis of bones

Project Title

Analysis of bones

Project Area of Specialization Biomedical EngineeringProject Summary

Title of Project: Investigating Mechanical Properties of Human and Animal Bones and its Analysis using Finite Element Methods (FEM) and Experimental Testing Techniques

Project Summary: Human and animal bones have been an area of research since long.  Numerous types of bones have been studied in the past. However there is a limited research in the area of Human Skull called "CRANIUM" so far due to not availability of test samples from cadavers and inability to measure its mechanical properties such as hardness, compression, fatigue and impact  strengths. Researchers have worked in the areas of material characterisation but have always proposed to investigate aforesaid properties. Therefore, present research will use microhardness testers, compression machines and impact tests to establish the failure of Cranium. It will be suplemented with FEM to establish if experimental tests conform to simulations. CT scan data of Cranium will be used to make geometric models for study. As Final Year project; we are expected to find if FEM can  provide results close enough to experimental testing. If established it will substantially reduce the need of actual cranium for experimental testing. More simulations will be conducted to cranium as well as other bones. The study will initially be started from  animal such as chicken bones becuase of their cheap availability for experimentation.ASTM standards applicable to bones testings will be used to measure these properties. Then processes and proceedures of measuring/testing these properties shall be validated from  animal bones. Finally similar tests shall be conducted on Human skull. Findings of this projects will lead to adding fundamental knowledge of these properties for other researchers and design of various head gears for safety in various industries including aerospace, transportation and civil engineering safety helmets.

Project Objectives

Project objectives are as follows:

1. Testing of Animal bones mechanical properties including hardness, compression strength, impact resistance experimentally

2. Testing of Human skull bones called Cranium for its mechanical properties using micro hardness tester, universal testing machine, impact testing machine and fatigue tester

3. Develop geometric models from CT scan data of Cranium

4.Using Finite Element Methods technique to simulate experimental tests on computer models

5. Contribute to the body of knowldge of Biomedical engineering

6. To provide Cranium properties to industry for development of safety head gear for various applications in industries such as transportation, civil and aerospace engineering for safety helmets

Project Implementation Method

The project will be implemented as follows:

1. Literature review about past researh published on mechanical properties of human bones specifically Cranium 

2. review of standards applicable to bones testing for mechnaical properties

3. Acquisition of human and animal bones from various sources such as hospitals and medical colleges anatomy departments. Rawalpindi Medical college has aready promissed to provide the required numbers of Cranium

4. Experimental testing for hardness, compression and impact using relevant machines and equipment.

5. Acquiring CT scan data of Cranium for geometric modelling that will be used for theoretical testing

6. Using FEM technique on geometric models for simulating hardness, compression and impact tests

7. Establishing correspondence vbetween FEM and experimental results

8. Concluding the possibility of use of FEM instead of experimetal tests.

Final report writing and publishing any research papers in international conferences and journals  

Benefits of the Project

Benefits of project are as follows:

1. Providing mechanical properties of Cranium that will be added to current body of knowledge

2. Providing experimental results of all tests to future researchers

3. Providing a methodology including a step by step approach  of converting CT scan data to geometric models

4. Evaluating the possibility of using FEM to validate experimental tests such that further experimental tests are not required by the future researchers

5. Design data availability to new product designers for head safety gear for various industries 

7. Providing data of strength of Cranium to medical and surgical tools designers for their product development used in head injury  surgeries

8. Provide knowldge base to Anatomy departments of medical colleges as required by orthopedic surgeons for head injury trauma studies by medical doctors and students

Technical Details of Final Deliverable

Technical details are as follows:

1. Extraction of Chicken bones as animal experimental test subjects for measurement of mechanical properties

2. Use of microhardness tester, tensile testing machine for compression testings,impact testing for measuring corresponding properties

3.CT scanning of Cranium  followed by conversion of its data files to geometric models

4. FEM analysis of Cranium geometric models using Ansys software for failure under various conditions

5. Establishing correspondence between experimental and theoretical results

6 Writing findings and conclusions of properties and use of various techniques

7. Adding to the body of knowledge of biomechanical engineering and veterinary sciences.

Final Deliverable of the Project Software SystemCore Industry HealthOther Industries Education , IT , Medical , Transportation , Security Core Technology Wearables and ImplantablesOther Technologies Artificial Intelligence(AI), Internet of Things (IoT), 3D/4D Printing, Robotics, Shared Economy, OthersSustainable Development Goals Good Health and Well-Being for People, Quality Education, Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, Partnerships to achieve the GoalRequired Resources

Item Name	Type	No. of Units	Per Unit Cost (in Rs)	Total (in Rs)
			Total in (Rs)	70000
Hardness tester	Equipment	1	50000	50000
Jigs and Fixture for Cranium and Tibia testing	Equipment	2	5000	10000
Tools for machines	Equipment	2	2000	4000
CT scan testing service	Equipment	10	600	6000