The propagation of ultrasonic guided waves in cortical bone has potential to inform medical caregivers about the condition of the bone structure. However, as waveguides, human long bones such as the tibia are complex in terms of their material behavior and their geometric features. They exhibit anisotropic elasticity and internal damping. For the first time, wave propagation is modelled in the irregular hollow tibial cross-section, which varies along its long axis. Semi-analytical, frequency domain, and time domain finite element analyses providing complimentary information about long-range wave propagation characteristics in such a waveguide are applied to the mid-diaphyseal region of a human tibia. Simulating the guided waves generated by a contact transducer, the signals received in axial transmission indicate the consistent presence of low phase velocity non-dispersive propagating modes. The guided waves capable of traveling long distances have strong potential for diagnosis of fracture healing.

超声导波在皮质骨中的传播可能会告知医疗人员骨骼结构的状况。然而，作为波导，诸如胫骨的人类长骨在其材料行为和几何特征方面是复杂的。它们表现出各向异性的弹性和内部阻尼。首次在不规则的中空胫骨横截面中模拟了波的传播，该横截面沿其长轴变化。提供有关此类波导中远距离波传播特性的补充信息的半分析，频域和时域有限元分析被应用于人体胫骨的中mid骨区域。模拟接触式换能器产生的导波，轴向传输中接收到的信号表明始终存在着低相速度非色散传播模式。能够传播很长距离的导波具有诊断骨折愈合的强大潜力。