Effect of Sample Pre-Contact on the Experimental Evaluation of Cartilage Mechanical Properties

Mechanical characterization of articular cartilage has been widely analyzed in the literature, both experimentally and numerically, since load support (strength) and deformability (compliance) are among the most important physiological functions of this living tissue. They are also important indicators of cartilage degradation and regeneration. Cartilage elastic properties (Young’s Modulus, Aggregate Modulus and Poisson ratio) are usually determined experimentally by uniaxial confined and unconfined compression tests. Relevant differences can be found in the literature for these variables even when similar experimental protocols are used. Before starting the actual compression test, a pre-contact protocol has to be carried out in order to obtain optimum contact between the test tool and the cartilage sample. The aim of this work is to analyze the effect of sample pre-contact on the test results comparing three different protocols available in the literature (predeformation of 4 and 10 % of the total thickness of the sample and a preload equivalent to 12.5 KPa). The implementation of these protocols achieved contact, but only the predeformation allowed normalized experiments and ensured repeatability of the tests. Additionally, under the predeformation protocols, the results and trends for uniaxial compression tests were consistent with the cartilage physiological function. However, for 10 % predeformation, the experimental data showed maximum dispersion at the final stress levels. The statistical treatment determined significant differences between the 10 % predeformation and the preload results (Aggregate Modulus and Poisson ratio), defining them as non comparable protocols. Finally, a new pre-contact protocol is proposed introducing an initial approximation point between the test tool and the cartilage sample, and followed by a predeformation of 4 % for confined and unconfined tests.