Running Head: PREDICTING FAILURE OF A COMPRESSION PLATE 1

Predicting Failure of a Compression Plate

Date: 25th June 2019

Predicting Failure of a Compression Plate 2

Abstract

Compression plates are becoming widely used in orthopedics to support fractured bone

and facilitate healing after an injury. Stainless steel is commonly used material because of its

strength, durability and versatility. Compression plates are widely applied in biomechanics for

internal fixation in combination with other modes of fracture treatment techniques. The design,

construction, and application of compression plates have proven to be valuable in clinical

practice. The integration of compression plates as new form of implants have them compatible

with some of the existing instruments and conventional screws (Stannard, 2011). The surgeon

performing the surgery of the fractured bone is free to choose the best method he or she should

use which suit the specifications.

The static structural properties of a plate play critical role in the analysis of stress, strain,

and deformation. Compression plates used in orthopedics should be able to withstand applied

forces for a long time (Poitout, 2004). It is therefore necessary for designers and manufactures to

perform the analysis of the material before manufacturing the product. The Finite Element

Analysis have been widely accepted method of studying the properties of materials subjected to

various forces.

Keywords: Finite Element Analysis, Compression plate, strain, stress, deformation.

Predicting Failure of a Compression Plate 3

Table of Contents

Abstract..................................................................................................................................................2

Introduction............................................................................................................................................4

Background............................................................................................................................................4

Materials and Methods..........................................................................................................................5

Theory and Calculations........................................................................................................................7

Results..................................................................................................................................................11

Scenario one: Forearm without any force........................................................................................11

Scenario Two: Forearm with arm holding 2kilogram......................................................................12

Scenario Three: Lifting Body Weight from arm..............................................................................14

Scenario Four: Falling on an outstretched arm................................................................................15

Discussions..........................................................................................................................................17

Conclusion...........................................................................................................................................18

References............................................................................................................................................19

APPENDIX..........................................................................................................................................20

Manual calculations without using Ansys.......................................................................................20

Predicting Failure of a Compression Plate 4

Introduction

The Finite Element Analysis is a technique that is used to simulate any given physical

phenomenon using numerical techniques known as Finite Element Method (Jacob&Ted, 2007).

Designers use it to minimize the number of prototypes and to optimize the components. FEA

enables users to virtually test a product design. It helps them to understand their designs in order

to perform any modifications early enough in the design process. In order to conduct an FEA,

general procedures should be followed. These procedures include dividing the geometric model

into small pieces to create “mesh”, describing the behavior of the physical quantities on each

element, assembling the elements at the nodes to form an approximate system of equations for

the entire model, applying loads and boundary conditions, solving the system of equations

involving unknown quantities at the nodes, and finally calculating the desired quantities at

elements or nodes (Chen, 2014).

Background

This study employs the use of ANSYS Workbench software to generate a 3D model for a

compression plate and analyze the stresses acting on the plate. The highest level of equivalent

stresses acting on the plate can be easily evaluated by a direct contact model. Application of the

compression plate to the bone results in an increase in stress due to bending, and decrease in

longitudinal stresses and strain deformation in the underlying bone (Haase et al., 2008).

Finite element analysis as applied in biomedical engineering to manufacture implants that

optimize the structure of a bone in order to allow remodeling process of a bone to occur.
Predicting Failure of a Compression Plate 5

Compression plates and screws are commonly used in order to offer stability and stiffness to

bone fractures. However, the difference between the rigidity of bone and the plate may lead to

mechanical changes which may then result to implant loosening.

Materials and Methods

A compression plate model is used in the study. The nodal constraints are used to connect

the surface of the plate to a fixed point. This is to eliminate any possibility of separation between

the plate and a fixed point when the direct contact is imposed directly on the plate. The fixation

also allows the transfer of normal and shear stresses to occur. The model of a compression plate

is a stainless-steel measuring 1 mm thick, 11.8 wide, and 102.6mm long. The modulus elasticity

of the plate is 200GPa.

The compression plate is symmetric. Displacement constraints on the nodes must

maintain the symmetry. A fixed boundary applied to the fracture site indicates any deformation

and simulates the conditions of loading applied. The model analysis consists of three loading

conditions which are an applied moment, a compressive axial load, and an eccentric axial load.

The conditions oppose the fracture site by acting on the free end on the models.

Four scenarios were used to perform the analysis of the models. I drew the model using ANSYS

SpaceClaim software and analyzed the static analysis using ANSYS Workbench. Manual

calculations are included in the appendix. The scenarios include;

Predicting Failure of a Compression Plate 6

• Forearm without any force

• Forearm with arm holding 2kilogram

• Lifting body weight from arm

• Falling on an outstretched arm

Predicting Failure of a Compression Plate 7

The assumptions to be made include; the plate is attached to the bottom of an arm, no

muscle force, the plate is placed at the center, the forearm is aligned horizontally, and the radius

is rigidly tied to ulnar.

Theory and Calculations

Stress applied to a compression plate is the ratio of applied force F to a cross section area

of the plate. A plate experience three types of forces described in diagrams below.

Tensile stress is the stress that tends to stretch or lengthen the material. It acts normal to

the stressed area. Compressive stress tends to compress or shorten the material, and it acts normal

to the stressed area. Shear stress acts in plane to the stressed area at right-angle to compressive or

tensile stress.

Compressive or tensile stress normal to the plate is referred to as “direct stress”. It can be

expressed as;

= Fn/A
Where

= normal stress (Pa (N/m2), psi (lbf/in2))

Fn = normal force acting perpendicular to the area (N, lbf)

A = area (m2/in2)
Predicting Failure of a Compression Plate 8

A normal force always acts perpendicular to the area and it develops as a result of push or

put in two sides of the plate.

Shear stress is always parallel to a plate. It can be expressed as; τ

= Fp / A

Where

τ = shear stress (Pa (N/m2), psi (lbf/in2))

Fp = shear force in the plane of the area (N, lbf)

A = area (m2, in2)

A = area (m2, in2)

A shear force is developed when the external loads cause two segments of slide over each

other.

A strain is defined as deformation of a solid due to stress applied. There are two types of

strain; normal strain, and shear strain. Normal strain is the elongation or contraction of a line

segment. Shear strain is the change in angle between two-line segments originally perpendicular.

Normal strain can be expressed as equation below;

ε = dl / lo

=σ/E

where dl = change of length

(m, in) lo = initial length (m,

in) ε = strain - unit-less

Predicting Failure of a Compression Plate 9

E = Young's modulus (Modulus of Elasticity) (Pa , (N/m2),

psi (lbf/in2))

Young modulus is useful when predicting elongation or compression of an object when a

force is applied. It is a ration of stress and strain as expressed in equation below E = stress /

strain

=σ/ε

= (Fn / A) / (dl / lo)

Poisson’s ration is the ratio of relative contraction strain.

A force may also tend to rotate an object around a fixed point or an axis. This may result

into a moment, which is the product of the force and the distance from a fixed point or an axis.

Torque can be expressed as;

T=Fa

where

T = moment - or torque of the force (Nm, lbf ft)

F = applied force (N, lbf) a = moment arm (m, ft)

When a person falling on an outstretched arm, a person experience kinematic motion.

The forces involved are shown in the diagram below;

Predicting Failure of a Compression Plate 10

The equations of motions when falling are;

V2 = U2 + 2as

M = mv

T = mv – mu

Where;

M = moments m

= mass

V = velocity

I = impulse.

Results

Using ANSYS software to analyze the compression plate subjected to forces under

different scenarios, I obtained the results as shown in the following subsections.

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Scenario one: Forearm without any force

The arm is assumed to be 2 kilograms. The static structural values are as; (i).

Stress

(ii). Strain

(iii). Total Deformation

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Scenario Two: Forearm with arm holding 2kilogram

(i). Equivalent stress

(ii). Equivalent elastic strain

(iii). Total deformation

Predicting Failure of a Compression Plate 13

Scenario Three: Lifting Body Weight from arm

(i). Equivalent stress

Predicting Failure of a Compression Plate 14

(ii). Equivalent Elastic Strain

(iii) Total deformation

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Scenario Four: Falling on an outstretched arm

The mass of the subject is assumed to be 75kg, and the force that would result from falling at 2

meters high after manual calculation is equivalent to 9242N. Using ANSYS workbench, the

static structural are;

(i) Equivalent stress

(ii) Equivalent strain

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(iii) Total Deformation

Discussions

In scenario one, the forearm assumed to be weighing 20 newtons exerts a maximum stress

of a 5.9134e7 Pa and minimum of 10378Pa. The force is applied uniformly but the equivalent

stress tends to be higher at the fixed point. This is because a plate develops normal stress in

lengthwise direction and it varies from maximum to minimum (Roylance, 2000). The maximum

strain on the same scenario is 0.00029914 m/m while the minimum stress is as low as 3.0674e-7

m/m. The strain is again maximum at the fixed point. The maximum deformation is 0.0006824m

while the minimum deformation is zero. The deformation of a compression plate tends to occur

at the far end from a fixed point.

The forearm is loaded with a weight of 20 newtons in scenario two, a maximum stress of

1.7933e8 Pa minimum stress of 1.9273 Pa is achieved. The stress is distributed along the plate

with the highest stress experienced near the fixed point. The maximum elastic strain obtained is
Predicting Failure of a Compression Plate 17

0.00090748 while the minimum strain obtained is 1.2665e-5. The maximum deformation is

0.00018622m and the minimum deformation is zero.

In scenario three, a compression plate experiences a maximum stress of 6.6117e7 Pa

when a body assumed to be 75kg is lifted by an arm. The stress is distributed along the

compression plate with a minimum stress of 7.4266e5 Pa. There is a large stress near the fixed

point and a minimum stress at the far end of the compression plate. The maximum elastic strain

obtained is 0.00033072 m/m and the minimum are 4.036e-6 m/m. The total deformation of the

plate when subjected with a weight of 375 newtons is 0.00021057.

When person assumed to weigh 75kg falls on outstretched arm from 2 meters high, an

equivalent force of 9242 Newtons is exerted on the compression plate. The maximum equivalent

stress is 5.5603e+10 and a minimum stress of 8.5786e8. The maximum equivalent strain is

0.28112 and the minimum is 0.0057241m. The maximum deformation is 0.25824m, and the

minimum deformation is 0m.

Bone fractures are commonly treated in orthopedics via intermedullary plate fixation due

to higher rates of union and lower rates of postoperative complications (Huotari, 2012). Patients

with bone fractures have different morphology hence static structural analysis must be done to a

compression plate before implanting it. Patient specific bone morphology demands manual

deformation of the plate to ensure appropriate fit along the bone contours, and demanding on the

material of the plate, different outcomes have been reported along with postoperative

complications (Malekani et al., 2013).

Predicting Failure of a Compression Plate 18

Conclusion
Compression plates are widely used for bone healing. They are available in variety of

materials and shapes. Different patients have specific demands for a compression plate hence

appropriate static structural analysis must be done. The static properties of a compression plate

determine its behaviors when subjected to different forces at different locations. Compression

plates should be able to withstand forces for a longer period. The most common method to

analyze a static structural property of a material is by using Finite Element Analysis (FEA). The

ANSYS Workbench is the most common software for finite element analysis. The compression

plate develops equivalent stress in lengthwise direction with equivalent stress being maximum

near a fixed point and minimum near the end point. Stress, strain, and deformation increases as

the force increase. Deformation occurs when force applied to a material exceeds elastic limit.
Predicting Failure of a Compression Plate 19

References

Chen, Xiaolin, and Yijun Liu. Finite element modeling and simulation with ANSYS Workbench.

CRC Press, 2014.

Haase, K., & Rouhi, G. (2008). Finite Element Analysis of a Fracture Fixation Plate.

Huotari, P. R. (2012). Issues in Orthopedics and Occupational and Sports. USA: scholary

editions.

Malekani, Javad, et al. "Studies on bending limitations for the optimal fit of orthopaedic bone

plates." Advanced Materials Research. Vol. 602. Trans Tech Publications, 2013.

Poitout, D. G. (Ed.). (2004). Biomechanics and biomaterials in orthopedics.

Stannard, J. P., & Schmidt, A. H. (Eds.). (2011). Surgical treatment of orthopaedic trauma.

Thieme.

Jacob Fish and Ted Belytschko, “A First Course in Finite Elements by Jacob Fish and Ted

Belytschko”, Wiley, 2007

Predicting Failure of a Compression Plate 20

APPENDIX

Manual calculations without using Ansys

1. Scenario One: Forearm without any force

2. Scenario Two: Forearm with the arm holding 2 kg Scenario Three:

Lifting body weight with arm
Predicting Failure of a Compression Plate 21

Scenario Four: Falling on outstretched arm