Study on the Impact of Mesh Size Selection and Contact Model on Stress Distribution on Internal Fixation of Fibula Fracture Analyzed by Finite Element Method

The fibula is a small bone that runs parallel to the tibia in the lower leg. The fibula receives 15% of the human body weight. Under certain conditions, fractures can occur in the fibula due to certain human activities. One of the medical solutions to treat fractures that occur in the fibula is to install internal fixation. In the case of internal fixation, the interaction between bone and bone, bone with plate, bone with bolt, bolt with bone, is complicated to study experimentally. Numerical analysis is an option to study these interactions. Several parameters that affect the analysis results need to be fully known to perform an excellent numerical analysis. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of mesh size and coefficient of contact model on stress distribution on the internal fixation of fibula fracture. They were analyzed by finite element method under loading conditions that represent the standing position. The stress distribution was analyzed using ANSYS software. Three mesh sizes are selected, namely coarse, medium, and fine. Friction contact models were applied to the area between the fibula and the implant. The load used in this study represents three human body weights, namely 80, 90, and 100 kg. The material chosen for the plate and screw is AISI 316. Among the three meshes used, it is seen that the fine mesh produces the highest stress and is concentrated in one particular area. Furthermore, the coefficient friction of the contact model did not produce any significant difference in the stress distribution on internal fixation.