Date of Award

12-2014

Degree Name

Master of Science in Engineering

Department

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

First Advisor

Dr. Peter Gustafson

Second Advisor

Dr. James Kamman

Third Advisor

Dr. Andrew Geeslin

Keywords

Clavicle, experimental, finite element, biomechanical, bending test

Access Setting

Masters Thesis-Open Access

Abstract

A number of coracoclavicular ligament reconstructions are carried out each year and post surgical fractures of the clavicle have been reported. The primary objective of this research is to develop a comparative metrics that compares clavicular tunnel configurations used in coracoclavicular reconstruction techniques. The goal of this comparison is to reduce post surgical failures due to clavicle fractures. The present analysis compared two techniques { a single 3 mm clavicular tunnel and the other double 6 mm tunnels { experimentally, using Four-point bending testing and Finite Element Analysis (FEA). A unique method, slicing, was used to create an FE clavicle mesh model. This model was validated and used for the simulations. The FE models' location of maximum principal stress correlated with experimental failure locations in both clavicle groups. Testing results show CC reconstruction techniques with single 3 mm tunnels result in a clavicle that is stronger and stiffer than techniques with two 6 mm tunnels.

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