In Situ Imaging and Correlating Structure and Mechanics in Hard and Soft Tissues

Hard and soft tissues are anisotropic, heterogeneous, hierarchical materials; their structure implies that the microstructural mechanical properties can predict the macrostructural behaviour. Currently, in situ mechanics coupled with high-resolution X- ray computed tomography (XCT) and digital volume correlation (DVC) has emerged as a powerful and unique tool to quantify the three-dimensional (3D) full-field strain distribution in bones, cartilage-bone interface, biomaterials and bone- biomaterial systems. The research interests of the Biomedical Engineering group at the University of Portsmouth include; investigation of the mechanical behaviour of healthy and diseased hard and soft tissues as well as characterisation of the mechanical and morphological properties of different biomaterials for tissue regeneration.

Key Learnings:

• New insights can be derived though correlation of the nano- and microstructural properties and the mechanical behaviour of tissues in the apparent level
• In-situ X-ray computed tomography (XCT) combined with digital volume correlation (DVC) is a powerful and unique approach in quantifying the 3D-full field strain distribution in a variety of materials
• Comprehensive characterisation of hard and soft tissue interfaces as well as biomaterials for tissue regeneration can be obtained in real time.