Mechanical characterization of bone cement using fiber Bragg grating sensors

The aim of this work was the study and understanding of the behavior and linearity of an optical fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensor embedded in bone cement. Test its ability to monitor strains inside bone cement during different mechanical tests, at real-time. Bone cement is a biomaterials based on polymethacrylate used as fixation method in artificial joints. Work as a bonding, load transfer and optimal Stress/strain distribution inside the complex human body environment, Bone cement is the weakest element in a joint implant, being considered the main reason of prosthesis loosening. Inside the bone cement, its temperature, longitudinal strain and load were measured using fiber Bragg gratings. All the measurements report a linear response showing a good adaptation and optimization of the load transfer between the biomaterial and the embedded optical sensor. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.