The anisotropic mechanical behavior of cartilage was quantitatively analyzed in the transversely and longitudinally oriented specimens. Viscoelastic behavior appeared to be strongly dependent on the water content. Using empirically determined estimates of the transition zone temperature range accompanying stress relaxation, the activation energy for stress relaxation was calculated using time and temperature superposition theory and WLF equation. Further investigation of the molecular changes, which occur during laser irradiation, may assist in understanding the thermal and mechanical behavior of cartilage and how the reshaping process might to be optimized.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.