TY - JOUR
T1 - The impact of simplifications on the performance of a finite element model of a Macaca fascicularis cranium
AU - Fitton, Laura C.
AU - Prôa, Miguel
AU - Rowland, Charlie
AU - Toro-ibacache, Viviana
AU - O'Higgins, Paul
PY - 2015/1
Y1 - 2015/1
N2 - In recent years finite element analysis (FEA) has emerged as a useful tool for the analysis of skeletal form-function relationships. While this approach has obvious appeal for the study of fossil specimens, such material is often fragmentary with disrupted internal architecture and can contain matrix that leads to errors in accurate segmentation. Here we examine the effects of varying the detail of segmentation and material properties of teeth on the performance of a finite element model of a Macaca fascicularis cranium within a comparative functional framework. Cranial deformations were compared using strain maps to assess differences in strain contours and Procrustes size and shape analyses, from geometric morphometrics, were employed to compare large scale deformations. We show that a macaque model subjected to biting can be made solid, and teeth altered in material properties, with minimal impact on large scale modes of deformation. The models clustered tightly by bite point rather than by modeling simplification approach, and fell out as being distinct from another species. However localized fluctuations in predicted strain magnitudes were recorded with different modeling approaches, particularly over the alveolar region. This study indicates that, while any model simplification should be undertaken with care and attention to its effects, future applications of FEA to fossils with unknown internal architecture may produce reliable results with regard to general modes of deformation, even when detail of internal bone architecture cannot be reliably modeled.
AB - In recent years finite element analysis (FEA) has emerged as a useful tool for the analysis of skeletal form-function relationships. While this approach has obvious appeal for the study of fossil specimens, such material is often fragmentary with disrupted internal architecture and can contain matrix that leads to errors in accurate segmentation. Here we examine the effects of varying the detail of segmentation and material properties of teeth on the performance of a finite element model of a Macaca fascicularis cranium within a comparative functional framework. Cranial deformations were compared using strain maps to assess differences in strain contours and Procrustes size and shape analyses, from geometric morphometrics, were employed to compare large scale deformations. We show that a macaque model subjected to biting can be made solid, and teeth altered in material properties, with minimal impact on large scale modes of deformation. The models clustered tightly by bite point rather than by modeling simplification approach, and fell out as being distinct from another species. However localized fluctuations in predicted strain magnitudes were recorded with different modeling approaches, particularly over the alveolar region. This study indicates that, while any model simplification should be undertaken with care and attention to its effects, future applications of FEA to fossils with unknown internal architecture may produce reliable results with regard to general modes of deformation, even when detail of internal bone architecture cannot be reliably modeled.
KW - Cranial deformation
KW - Finite element analysis
KW - Fossil hominins
KW - Geometric morphometrics
KW - Model building
KW - Procrustes size and shape analysis
KW - Sensitivity study
KW - Virtual reconstruction
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84919740292&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/ar.23075
DO - 10.1002/ar.23075
M3 - Article
C2 - 25339306
AN - SCOPUS:84919740292
SN - 1932-8486
VL - 298
SP - 107
EP - 121
JO - Anatomical Record: Advances in Integrative Anatomy and Evolutionary Biology
JF - Anatomical Record: Advances in Integrative Anatomy and Evolutionary Biology
IS - 1
ER -