Abstract
This work presents an application of co-simulation technology, the interaction between two simulations, acting in sync, considering Multi-Body Dynamics (MBD) and Finite Element Method (FEM) to a biomechanics case of study. Several approaches are available in literature for the modelling and simulation of complex systems, examining also the interaction among different domains through a multi-physics approach. This work is related to the modelling, simulation and test of MBD-FEM co-simulation technology applied to the human walking, in the presence of a hip prosthesis, providing insights for the development of a method for designing, analyzing, and studying a human prosthesis. Usually and traditionally, the hip prosthesis analysis and design are performed by considering static loads only. In this paper we explore the co-simulation technique to combine the MBD of the walking to the FEM of the hip prosthesis to analyze the effect of dynamic loads acting in an interacting environment. The promising results asset the great potential this technology holds, and the necessity, for the prosthesis designers, to carefully consider the multi-physical properties of the problem, allowing design choices that are coherent with the problem.