
Computational modelling of articular cartilage 211
conditions rst mean the tissue has not been removed from the joint; it is
attached to subchondral bone, which is very thin and dif cult to implement
in a numerical procedure. Second, the contact conditions in a joint such as
the knee are very complicated due to multiple contacts with uid ow and
pressure boundary conditions. Third, the kinematic and loading conditions
of a joint vary broadly.
For simplicity, past computational modelling has been focused on the
experiments of small explants, such as con ned and uncon ned compres-
sion, and indentation testing (Fig. 7.2). Even so,