A cross-validation of the biphasic poroviscoelastic model of articular cartilage in unconfined compression, indentation, and confined compression

The biphasic poroviscoelastic (BPVE) model was curve fit to the simultaneous relaxation of reaction force and lateral displacement exhibited by articular cartilage in unconfined compression (n=18). Model predictions were also made for the relaxation observed in reaction force during indentation with a porous plane-ended metal indenter (n=4), indentation with a nonporous plane ended metal indenter (n=4), and during confined compression (n=4). Each prediction was made using material parameters resulting from curve fits of the unconfined compression response of the same tissue. The BPVE model was able to account for both the reaction force and the lateral displacement during unconfined compression very well. Furthermore, model predictions for both indentation and confined compression also followed the experimental data well. These results provide substantial evidence for the efficacy of the biphasic poroviscoelastic model for articular cartilage, as no successful cross-validation of a model simulation has been demonstrated using other mathematical models.