The Mechanical Behavior of Articular Cartilage Observed by a Mechanical Testing Device with Force Control

摘要

Cartilage tissue has a high water content and complicated structure composed of extracellar matrix and chondrocytes. Therefore, the articular cartilage shows time dependent and depth dependent mechanical behaviors. The aim of this study is to explain the mechanical behavior of articular cartilage in constant load compression with force control. In this study, we performed compression test under the constant load, in which the fluorescent images of cartilage tissue in compression and the displacement of the indenter were obtained. The bulk Young's modulus at equilibrium was calculated using experimental result. When we applied the step-up load to sample, the bulk Young's modulus at equilibrium responded at constant value.