FEM-based fatigue analysis on a four-bar polycentric knee of above-knee prostheses Online publication date: Thu, 29-Feb-2024
by Mohammad-Reza Sayyed Noorani; Saman Hoseini
International Journal of Biomedical Engineering and Technology (IJBET), Vol. 44, No. 2, 2024
Abstract: Developing safe and low-cost artificial lower limbs with long working life is a necessity to help large population of people with amputation to recover the walking ability. So, in this paper we investigate on optimal design of pin components of a four-bar polycentric knee used in above-knee prosthesis. The pins suffer cyclic loads and wearing lead to damage and breakage therein, which is early cause of prosthesis failure. Here, we first exploit the ABAQUS to create a finite element model (FEM), then it is integrated with FE-Safe software to obtain a fatigue life prediction according to Morrow's fatigue criteria. Materials of SUS-304 stainless steel and Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy are examined to achieve a fatigue life of over 3,000,000 cycles to meet the requirements of ISO 10328:2006. Pins with the diameter of 10 mm satisfies the requirements at all three stages of stance phase, i.e., heel strike, midstance, and push off, when SUS-304 is selected.
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