While much has been done to study how cartilage responds to mechanical loading, as well as modelling such responses, arguably less has been accomplished around the mechanics of the cartilage–bone junction. Previously, it has been reported that the presence of bony spicules invading the zone of calcified cartilage, preceded the formation of new subchondral bone and the advancing of the cement line (Thambyah and Broom in Osteoarthr Cartil 17:456–463, 2009). In this study, the morphology and frequency of bone spicules in the cartilage–bone interface of osteochondral beams subjected to three-point bending were modelled, and the results are discussed within the context of biomechanical theories on bone formation. It was found that the stress and strain magnitudes, and their distribution were sensitive to the presence and number of spicules. Spicule numbers and shape were shown to affect the strain energy density (SED) distribution in the areas of the cement line adjacent to spicules. Stresses, strains and SED analyses thus provided evidence that the mechanical environment with the addition of spicules promotes bone formation in the cartilage–bone junction.

虽然已经做了很多工作来研究软骨如何响应机械负荷，以及对这种响应进行建模，但可以说围绕软骨-骨连接的力学所做的工作较少。以前，据报道，侵入钙化软骨区域的骨针的存在，在新的软骨下骨形成和水泥线的推进之前（Thambyah and Broom in Osteoarthr Cartil 17:456–463, 2009）。在这项研究中，模拟了经受三点弯曲的骨软骨梁的软骨-骨界面中骨针的形态和频率，并在骨形成的生物力学理论的背景下讨论了结果。发现应力和应变大小及其分布对针状体的存在和数量敏感。显示骨针数量和形状会影响与骨针相邻的水泥线区域中的应变能密度 (SED) 分布。因此，应力、应变和 SED 分析提供了证据，表明添加骨针的机械环境促进了软骨-骨连接处的骨形成。