Modelling human tibia structural vibrations

Mode shapes and natural frequencies of human long bones play an important role in the interpretation, prediction and control of their dynamic response to external mechanical loads. This paper describes an experimental and theoretical study of free vibrations in an excised human tibia. Experimentally, seven tibial natural frequencies in the range 0-3 kHz were identified through measured structural transfer functions. Theoretically, a beam type Finite Element model of a human tibia is suggested. Unknown parameters in this model are determined by a Bayesian parameter estimation approach, by which very fine model/observation-accordance was achieved with realistic parameter estimates. A sensitivity analysis of the model confirms that the human tibia in a vibrational sense is more uniform than its complicated geometry would immediately suggest. Accordingly, two simple tibia models are identified, based on uniform beam theory with inclusion of shear deformations.