Numerical analysis of the construction integrity on the example of a prosthetic device
The lower limb prosthesis, as the specific object of this biomechanical research, has the task of restoring the normal function of the missing part of the human body. Creating a prosthesis exclusively for the end user is a very complex process. The subject of analysis in this work is the analysis of forces, deformations and stress state on the example of structural elements of the lower prosthetic device with the aim of understanding the integrity of the structure under the action of variable load. This analysis is one of the bases for the overall approach to the design of prosthetic aids for the end user, and especially the creation of the socket, as the most important element of a prosthesis in contact with man’s residuum. The main goal of this work is to estimate the real value of the load of a complex prosthesis, to understand the effect of the load on the elements of the observed example of construction, and to understand the load transfer on the connection of the prosthesis structure with the socket. After defining the real load values, the performed numerical analysis indicated the critical points of the construction, the need to use more accurate material properties in the “foot” element, and in the “socket” zone, the possibility for corrections of the shape and thickness of the wall.