Biomechanical analysis of the lumbar spine under different loading conditions

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Faculty, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Iran

Abstract

The human body is exposed to many forces and moments during daily activities. The spine is one of the most important structures that bear these forces and may be prone to multiple injuries. Therefore, numerical modeling and analysis of the lumbar spine under various loading conditions is very beneficial to prevent injuries. This study aims to provide a valid finite element model of the L4-L5 segment of the human lumbar spine for static analysis. The model includes two vertebrae, intervertebral discs, end plates, and ligaments. To model the mechanical properties of the lumbar spine, elastic and hyperelastic behaviors have been used for different parts of the spine. Moreover, stress and strain distribution in different tissues, under various loading conditions, were compared with the allowable thresholds of the tissues to investigate the possibility of tissue damage. Note that it was assumed that tissue damage occurs when the stresses and strains in the desired tissue exceed the elastic range. However, based on the obtained results, under the investigated loading conditions, none of the model components were damaged.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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Amirkabir Journal of Mechanical Engineering
Volume 56, Issue 11
February 2025
Pages 1475-1496

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