Papers by Author: Laurenţiu Culea

Abstract: The study aims at analyzing the stress state of the human skull with FEA, simulating the loads due to the insertion of rapid palatal expanders with two or four arms. A 3D CAD solid model of a human skull has been created starting from CT slices. Using FEA, forces that simulate the loads developed by the expander have been applied to the solid model of the skull to determine the stress state.

Abstract: The paper describes the biomechanical behavior of a cervical implanted unit (CIU) in two conditions: during the physiological and extreme loading. In order to reveal these behaviors, the anatomical structure composed by the C2 and C3 cervical vertebras was implanted using a plate-screws metal structure. The implant was design to perform dynamical, by allowing longitudinal, transversal and rotational movements. The physiological conditions were simulated by the pulsatory negative loading, while the extreme loading was simulated by the alternant symmetrical loading. The tests reveal two behaviors: the durability of the CIU in the physiological loading conditions and the failure of the structure under extreme load.