Effect of lag screw on stability of first metatarsophalangeal joint arthrodesis with medial plate.

Background: First metatarsophalangeal joint (MTP-1) arthrodesis is a commonly performed procedure in the treatment of disorders of the great toe. Since the incidence of revision after MTP-1 joint arthrodesis is not insignificant, a medial approach with a medially positioned locking plate has been proposed as a new technique. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of the application of a lag screw on the stability and strength of first metatarsophalangeal joint arthrodesis with medial plate. Methods: The bending tests in a testing machine were performed for models of the first metatarsal bone and the proximal phalanx printed on a 3D printer from polylactide material. The bones were joined using the locking titanium plate and six locking screws. The specimens were divided into three groups of seven each: medial plate and no lag screw, medial plate with a lag screw, dorsal plate with a lag screw. The tests were carried out quasi-static until the samples failure. Results: The addition of the lag screw to the medial plate significantly increased flexural stiffness (41.45 N/mm vs 23.84 N/mm, p = 0.002), which was lower than that of the dorsal plate with a lag screw (81.29 N/mm, p < 0.001). The similar maximum force greater than 700 N (p > 0.50) and the relative bone displacements lower than 0.5 mm for a force of 50 N were obtained for all fixation techniques. Conclusions: The lag screw significantly increased the shear stiffness in particular and reduced relative transverse displacements to the level that should not delay the healing process for the full load of the MTP-1 joint arthrodesis with the medial plate. It is recommended to use the locking screws with a larger cross-sectional area of the head to minimize rotation of the medial plate relative to the metatarsal bone.

The effect of external load on ultrasonic wave attenuation in steel bars under bending stresses.

The stress state in deformed solids has a significant impact on the attenuation of an ultrasonic wave propagating through the medium. Measuring a signal with certain attenuation characteristics can therefore provide useful diagnostic information about the stress state in the structure. In this work, basic principles behind a novel attenuation-based diagnostic framework are introduced. An experimental study on steel bars under three-point bending was carried out, and finite element analyses were used to numerically model the experiments. Obtained test results showed a strong correlation between the external load and the ultrasonic signal energy, which decreases with increasing load. A similar but positive correlation appeared between the level of attenuation of longitudinal ultrasonic wave signals and the external load, which allowed for efficient estimation of the mid-span bending moment. Upon proper calibration of testing equipment, the change in ultrasonic signal energy can therefore be used as an indicator of the external load level. As a result, this effect has potential applications in non-destructive structural health monitoring frameworks.

Modelling of Longitudinal Elastic Wave Propagation in a Steel Rod Using the Discrete Element Method.

The paper deals with the issue of modelling elastic wave propagation using the discrete element method (DEM). The case of a longitudinal wave in a rod with a circular cross-section was considered. A novel, complex algorithm consisting of the preparation of models and simulation of elastic waves was developed. A series of DEM models were prepared for simulations, differing in discretisation and material parameters. Additional calculations with the finite element method (FEM) were performed. Numerical wave signals were obtained from each simulation and compared with experimental results to choose the best DEM model based on the correlation between the waveforms. Moreover, dispersion curves were prepared for each model to verify the agreement with the Pochhammer-Chree wave propagation theory. Both experimental and theoretical approaches indicated the same model as the most suitable. The analysis results allowed stating that DEM can be successfully used for modelling wave propagation in structural rods.

Medially positioned plate in first metatarsophalangeal joint arthrodesis.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to biomechanically compare the stability of first metatarsophalangeal (MTP1) joint arthrodesis with dorsally and medially positioned plates. METHODS: A physical model of the MTP1 joint consists of printed synthetic bones, a titanium locking plate and screws. In the experiments, samples with dorsally and medially positioned plates were subjected to loading of ground load character in a universal testing machine. Force-displacement relations and relative displacements of bones were recorded. The obtained results were used to validate the corresponding finite element models of the MTP1 joint. Nonlinear finite element simulations of the toe-off phase of gait were performed to determine the deformation and stress state in the MTP1 joint for two positions of the plate. RESULTS: In numerical simulations, the maximum displacement in the dorsal direction was noticed at the tip of the distal phalanx and was equal to 19.6 mm for the dorsal plate and 9.63 mm for the medial plate for a resultant force of 150 N. Lower relative bone displacements and smaller plastic deformation in the plate were observed in the model with the medial plate. Stress values were also smaller in the medially positioned plate and locking screws compared to fixation with the dorsal plate. CONCLUSIONS: A medially positioned locking plate provides better stability of the MTP1 joint than a dorsally positioned plate due to greater vertical bending stiffness of the medial plate. Smaller relative bone displacements observed in fixation with the medial plate may be beneficial for the bone healing process. Moreover, lower stress values may decrease the risk of complications associated with hardware failure.

Imaging of Increasing Damage in Steel Plates Using Lamb Waves and Ultrasound Computed Tomography.

This paper concerns the inspection of steel plates, with particular emphasis on the assessment of increasing damage. Non-destructive tests were performed on four plates, one of which was undamaged, while the remaining three had defects in the form of circular holes with diameters of 2, 5 and 10 cm. Guided Lamb waves were used in the research, and the image reconstruction was performed using ultrasound computed tomography. The damage size was estimated by tracking the real course of rays and densifying the pixel grid into which the object was divided. The results showed the great potential of ultrasound tomography in detecting defects in steel elements, together with the possibility of estimating damage size.

Non-Destructive Diagnostics of Concrete Beams Strengthened with Steel Plates Using Modal Analysis and Wavelet Transform.

Externally bonded reinforcements are commonly and widely used in civil engineering objects made of concrete to increase the structure load capacity or to minimize the negative effects of long-term operation and possible defects. The quality of adhesive bonding between a strengthened structure and steel or composite elements is essential for effective reinforcement; therefore, there is a need for non-destructive diagnostics of adhesive joints. The aim of this paper is the detection of debonding defects in adhesive joints between concrete beams and steel plates using the modal analysis approach. The inspection was based on modal shapes and their further processing with the use of continuous wavelet transform (CWT) for precise debonding localization and imaging. The influence of the number of wavelet vanishing moments and the mode shape interpolation on damage imaging maps was studied. The results showed that the integrated modal analysis and wavelet transform could be successfully applied to determine the exact shape and position of the debonding in the adhesive joints of composite beams.

Special Issue: "Non-Destructive Testing of Structures".

The Special Issue "Non-Destructive Testing of Structures" has been proposed to present recent developments in the field of diagnostics of structural materials and components in civil and mechanical engineering. The papers highlighted in this editorial concern various aspects of non-invasive diagnostics, including such topics as condition assessments of civil and mechanical structures and connections of structural elements, the inspection of cultural heritage monuments, the testing of structural materials, structural health monitoring systems, the integration of non-destructive testing methods, advanced signal processing for the non-destructive testing of structures (NDT), damage detection and damage imaging, as well as modeling and numerical analyses for supporting structural health monitoring (SHM) systems.

Integrated Application of GPR and Ultrasonic Testing in the Diagnostics of a Historical Floor.

The paper presents the results of integrated ground penetrating radar (GPR) and ultrasonic testing (UT) measurements conducted on a historical floor in St. Nicholas' Church, Gdansk, Poland. The described inspection was the first stage of the technical state assessment of the building. The aim of the study was the detection of underfloor air gaps, which were observed in a few trial pits. The condition of the ground under the floor was determined by localizing other inclusions such as rubble, human remains, brick walls and pipes. To identify the phenomenon of electromagnetic and ultrasonic wave propagation within the air gap, laboratory tests were conducted on physical models consisting of two concrete slabs stacked on top of each other and gradually moved apart to simulate a slot of varying thickness. The conducted research was supported by the numerical models of electromagnetic wave propagation. The obtained results showed that the integration of the GPR and UT methods provided an effective imaging of the floor and the area under it. Ultrasonic testing was proved to be a good technique for identifying air voids, while the GPR method allowed detecting concentrated anomalies and determining the degree of ground homogeneity under the floor.

Detection and Imaging of Debonding in Adhesive Joints of Concrete Beams Strengthened with Steel Plates Using Guided Waves and Weighted Root Mean Square.

Strengthening of engineering structures is an important issue, especially for elements subjected to variable loads. In the case of concrete beams or slabs, one of the most popular approaches assumes mounting an external reinforcement in the form of steel or composite elements by structural adhesives. A significant disadvantage of adhesive joints is the lack of access to the adhesive film for visual condition assessment, thus, there is a need for non-destructive diagnostics of these kinds of connections. The aim of this paper was the identification and visualization of defects in adhesive joints between concrete beams and steel plates using the guided wave propagation technique. The initial theoretical and numerical analyses were performed. The experimental wave field was excited and measured by the scanning laser Doppler vibrometry. The collected signals were processed by the weighted root mean square (WRMS) calculation. As a result, 2-D damage maps were obtained. The numerical simulations were performed to corroborate the experimental results. The results showed that the guided waves could be successfully applied in non-destructive diagnostics of adhesive joints between concrete and steel elements. However, the quality of damage visualizations strongly depended on the location of excitation.

Non-Destructive Testing of a Sport Tribune under Synchronized Crowd-Induced Excitation Using Vibration Analysis.

This paper presents the concept of repairing the stand of a motorbike speedway stadium. The synchronized dancing of fans cheering during a meeting brought the stand into excessive resonance. The main goal of this research was to propose a method for the structural tuning of stadium stands. Non-destructive testing by vibration methods was conducted on a selected stand segment, the structure of which recurred on the remaining stadium segments. Through experiments, we determined the vibration forms throughout the stand, taking into account the dynamic impact of fans. Numerical analyses were performed on the 3-D finite element method (FEM) stadium model to identify the dynamic jump load function. The results obtained on the basis of sensitivity tests using the finite element method allowed the tuning of the stadium structure to successfully meet the requirements of the serviceability limit state.

Wave Frequency Effects on Damage Imaging in Adhesive Joints Using Lamb Waves and RMS.

Structural adhesive joints have numerous applications in many fields of industry. The gradual deterioration of adhesive material over time causes a possibility of unexpected failure and the need for non-destructive testing of existing joints. The Lamb wave propagation method is one of the most promising techniques for the damage identification of such connections. The aim of this study was experimental and numerical research on the effects of the wave frequency on damage identification in a single-lap adhesive joint of steel plates. The ultrasonic waves were excited at one point of an analyzed specimen and then measured in a certain area of the joint. The recorded wave velocity signals were processed by the way of a root mean square (RMS) calculation, giving the actual position and geometry of defects. In addition to the visual assessment of damage maps, a statistical analysis was conducted. The influence of an excitation frequency value on the obtained visualizations was considered experimentally and numerically in the wide range for a single defect. Supplementary finite element method (FEM) calculations were performed for three additional damage variants. The results revealed some limitations of the proposed method. The main conclusion was that the effectiveness of measurements strongly depends on the chosen wave frequency value.

Non-Destructive Assessment of Masonry Pillars using Ultrasonic Tomography.

In this paper, a condition assessment of masonry pillars is presented. Non-destructive tests were performed on an intact pillar as well as three pillars with internal inclusions in the form of a hole, a steel bar grouted by gypsum mortar, and a steel bar grouted by cement mortar. The inspection utilized ultrasonic stress waves and the reconstruction of the velocity distribution was performed by means of computed tomography. The results showed the possibilities of tomographic imaging in characterizing the internal structure of pillars. Particular attention was paid to the assessment of the adhesive connection between a steel reinforcing bar, embedded inside pillars, and the surrounding pillar body.