Effect of long-term cyclic compression loading on the structural evolution of trabecular bone

Dynamic remodeling of bone tissue is mediated by the synergistic effects of osteoblast-driven bone formation and Osteoclast-dominated bone resorption.However,how bone cells perceive the mechanical stimuli and regulate bone remodeling have not been fully understood.This study aims to evaluate the effect of cyclic compression loading on trabecular microstructure for 42 days and identify the relationship between the evolution of trabecular microstructure and cell distribution.The eighth caudal vertebrae of rats were subjected to long-term cyclic compression loading with different frequencies.The compression displacement is 1 mm.In vivo micro-computed tomography was performed at 0,14,28 and 42 days to determine the structural parameters.The bone volume fraction(BV/TV)in the 1 Hz cyclic compression loading group was significantly higher than that in the control and 10 Hz groups,whereas the trabecular separation(Tb.Sp)was significantly lower.The 10 Hz cyclic compression group had the lowest BV/TV and highest Tb.Sp.After 14 days of loading,the BV/TV values of 1 Hz group were 29.62%and 41.6%higher than those of the control and 10 Hz groups,respectively.Conversely,the Tb.Sp of 1 Hz group was approximately 12.33%and 16.52%lower than that of the control and 10 Hz group,respectively.More bone formation and less bone resorption were observed in the 1 Hz group than the control group.In addition,more osteoblasts were attached to the area of bone formation,while more osteoclasts were located in the area of bone resorption.These findings may provide a basis for further understanding mechanical stimulation-regulated bone remodeling.

Experimental study on slender buckling-restrained knee braces with round steel bar cores

This study aimed to investigate a novel slender buckling-restrained knee brace damper (BRKB) for welded and weld-free steel framing systems. The proposed BRKB adopts steel bar cores connected by a central coupler and restrained by tube buckling restrainers with a cover tube supporter. The advantages of the proposed damper include easy assembly compared to conventional buckling restrained braces, and high architectural flexibility for the retrofitting of large-span weld-free or welded steel moment-resisting systems. Specifically, by increasing the number of contraction allowances, undesirable failure mechanisms that are global instability and local buckling of the restrainer ends can be effectively suppressed because the more uniform plastic deformation of the core bar can be achieved longitudinally. In this study, displacement-controlled compression and cyclic loading tests were carried out to investigate the deformation capacities of the proposed BRKBs. Structural performance metrics associated with both loading tests, such as strength capacities, strains at the cover tubes and buckling restrainers, and hysteretic behaviors of the proposed damper under cyclic loads, were measured and discussed. Test results revealed that the geometrical characteristics of the cover tubes and adopted contraction allowances at the dampers play essential roles in their load-bearing capacities.