Project title: Topology Optimisation in Increased Compliance Implant Design

Supervisor: Dr Richard van Arkel

Despite being one of the most successful surgical procedures, a significant proportion of Total Hip Arthroplasty (hip replacement) patients still require revision surgeries at a later date. One major cause is a large mismatch in stiffness between implant and bone, resulting in the femur weakening over time. 

Topology optimisation is an iterative design process most commonly used to improve the stiffness to weight ratio of structural components. This design method has shown striking similarities to human’s natural bone growth patterns and is predicted to reduce the implant’s overall stiffness without sacrificing strength. This project aims to investigate the application of topology optimisation in hip implant designs, beginning with fundamental optimisation processes and ending with numerical and experimental validations of the improved design.