THE SENSITIVITY OF VIBRATION ANALYSIS TO DAMAGE IN BONE
Name: Padraig Varley
Project Title: The Sensitivity of Vibration Analysis to Damage in Bone
Supervisor: Dr. John Hession
Funding Body: PRTLI, TSR, Strand 111
Abstract:
Lower-limb stress fractures are among the most common injuries to athletes and military recruits. It is suggested that up to 20% of all sports medicine clinical injuries are lower limb stress fractures.
Bone is constantly remodelling in response to the forces applied on it. During the remodelling process microcracks can form due to continued loading. If the bone is not allowed sufficient rest at this time the microcracks will coalesce and eventually lead to a stress fracture. It is therefore of benefit to detect the formation of microcracks so that preventative action can be taken.
Plain film radiography is traditionally implemented to diagnose bone fracture. However sensitivity to the presence of microcracks is low and the patient is exposed to small doses of ionising radiation. Alternatively vibration is a non-ionising technique and has been shown to be sensitive to microcracks in materials including bone.
The aim of this PhD study is to investigate the use of vibration analysis to detect such fractures. A combination of mathematical modelling and experimentation is utilised to thoroughly test the sensitivity of vibration to damage in bone. Mathematical models are developed using the Finite Element Method (FEM) while experiments using both linear and nonlinear vibration analysis techniques are carried out.
Publications/ Conferences Attended
Varley, P., Hession, J., Creedon, L., Muir, G., “Fracture detection in bone via nonlinear resonance ultrasound spectroscopy (NRUS) Proceedings of the 19th Annual meeting of Bioengineering in Ireland, Enfield, January, 2013
Varley, P., Hession, J., Creedon, L., Muir, G., “The use of vibration analysis to detect damage in bone.” Proceedings of the 18th Annual meeting of Bioengineering in Ireland, Templepatrick, January, 2012
Varley, P., Hession, J., Creedon, L., Muir, G., ”Monitoring Bone Fracture using Vibration Analysis”, 12th Annual Multidisciplinary Research Conference at Sligo General Hospital, Sligo, Ireland, 2011
Varley, P., Hession, J., Muir, G.,” Vibration Analysis of Bone Fracture using Finite Element Analysis and Experimental Modal Analysis.”, Proceedings of the 17th Annual meeting of Bioengineering in Ireland, Galway, January, 2011
Varley, P., Hession, J., Muir, G., ”Investigation of Bone Fracture using Experimental Modal Analysis”, 11th Annual Multidisciplinary Research Conference at Sligo General Hospital, Sligo, Ireland, 2010
