ABSTRACT
It is always hard to get convergence in contact problems. In addition to the conventional contact method, discrete element analysis (DEA) is another approach for solving joint contact problems. In this chapter, the springs were built in the three-dimensional (3D) finite element model of the knee using the line-plane intersection theory to represent the soft tissues. These springs were defined as compression only, with the cross-sectional areas equal to those of the femur elements. Because the contact between the bones was replaced by a cluster of springs, the model was solved easily, and the obtained contact pressures are close to those developed by the conventional contact method. This discussion demonstrates that DEA can be used to estimate the contact pressure of cartilages.
