Time-resolved in situ synchrotron-microCT: 4D deformation of bone and bone analogues using digital volume correlation

Digital volume correlation (DVC) in combination with high-resolution micro-computed tomography (microCT) imaging and situ mechanical testing is gaining popularity for quantifying 3D full-field strains bone biomaterials. However, traditional time-lapsed (i.e., interrupted) cannot fully capture the dynamic strain mechanisms viscoelastic biological materials. The aim of this study was to investigate time-resolved deformation structures analogues via continuous synchrotron-radiation microCT (SR-microCT) compression DVC gain a better insight into their structure-function relationships. Fast SR-microCT enabled behaviour be captured high temporal spatial resolution. Time-resolved highlighted relationship between local damage initiation progression different biostructures undergoing plastic deformation, bending and/or buckling main microstructural elements. results showed that complemented enhanced information obtained from testing, which may underestimate magnitudes as result stress relaxation occurring steps before image acquisition porous Altogether, findings highlight importance experiments characterise time-dependent tissues biomaterials further explore micromechanics under physiologically relevant conditions. synchrotron X-ray provided first four-dimensional analysis analogues. To unravel interplay digital used map field while changes were tracked fast real complex materials characterize strain-damage relationship. are notably improving understanding tissue, potential extend highly soft tissues.