Load concentrations around crystal aggregates in articular cartilage under short term loading

The deposition of crystals in joints is a feature of a number of joint diseases. Crystals are frequently observed on the surface of articular cartilage and in the mid-zone. The purpose of this investigation was to model the stress concentrations in the mid-zone of the cartilage layer arising from the presence of large crystal aggregates. Scanning electron microscopy was used to determine the geometry and distribution of crystal aggregates within the cartilage layer. Finite element and photoelastic approaches were then used to predict the stress distribution around spherical aggregates 50 and 100 microns in diameter. The implication of the results is that very densely packed and tightly bound spherical aggregates will themselves carry a certain amount of load. However, less tightly packed aggregates, perhaps interspersed with fibrous tissue, are potentially much more damaging.