Determination of the hyperelastic material properties of the intervertebral disk under dynamic compressive loads

In the last decade, many finite element (FE) models of the spine were used as surrogate experiments to provide relevant knowledge on the biomechanics of spinal trauma [1-2]. One of the major concerns in the development of such model is the modeling and validation of the spinal components’ mechanical behavior in dynamic loading conditions. For instance, very few FE models have considered the strain rate dependency shown by the intervertebral disk (IVD) when submitted to high strain rates [3], thus limiting their ability to represent traumatic conditions. Such limitations arise from the lack of appropriate material properties available in the literature. Thus, the purpose of the current study was to determine suitable material properties of the IVD for its FE modeling under dynamic compressive loads.