Experimental characterization of bone anisotropic poroelasticity parameters

Outlines anisotropic poroelasticity and develops a method for establishing the level of anisotropy in bone, and for determining anisotropic poroelastic parameters mechanically. This work is part of an ongoing effort in the authors' laboratory. It incorporates tests that have been previously developed and employed to study anisotropic solid and fluid properties in bone. This work incorporates a means for validating the results of both drained and undrained parameters through multiple mechanical tests and the use of ultrasound. The culmination of this work will result in the description of bone anisotropic solid and transport properties as well as tissue density. The authors' work attempts to fill the gap in knowledge of the bone anisotropic material parameters. The data will be useful in the developed of complex FEA models which can describe bone response to mechanical stimuli. Furthermore, the test methods developed can be used to study differences in healthy and diseased bone, the effects of aging and disuse, as well as in the mechanical assessment of engineered bone.