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Frontiers in bioengineering and biotechnology2022; 10; 766748; doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.766748

A Coupled Biomechanical-Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics Model for Horse Racing Tracks.

Abstract: Distal limb injuries are common in racing horses and track surface properties have been associated with injury risk. To better understand how track surfaces may contribute to equine limb injury, we developed the first 3D computational model of the equine hoof interacting with a racetrack and simulated interactions with model representations of 1) a dirt surface and 2) an all-weather synthetic track. First, a computational track model using the Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) method with a Drucker-Prager (D-P) elastoplastic material model was developed. It was validated against analytical models and published data and then calibrated using results of a custom track testing device applied to the two racetrack types. Second, a sensitivity analysis was performed to determine which model parameters contribute most significantly to the mechanical response of the track under impact-type loading. Third, the SPH track model was coupled to a biomechanical model of the horse forelimb and applied to hoof-track impact for a horse galloping on each track surface. We found that 1) the SPH track model was well validated and it could be calibrated to accurately represent impact loading of racetrack surfaces at two angles of impact; 2) the amount of harrowing applied to the track had the largest effect on impact loading, followed by elastic modulus and cohesion; 3) the model is able to accurately simulate hoof-ground interaction and enables study of the relationship between track surface parameters and the loading on horses' distal forelimbs.
Publication Date: 2022-02-21 PubMed ID: 35265590PubMed Central: PMC8899468DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.766748Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

Summary

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The study focuses on developing a 3D computational model to understand how racetrack surfaces contribute to distal limb injuries in racing horses. The researchers made use of Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) and biomechanical modelling and carried out simulations for horse hoof interaction with dirt and all-weather synthetic track surfaces.

About the Computational Model

  • The researchers developed a computational model of the racing track using the Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) method in combination with a Drucker-Prager (D-P) elastoplastic material model. This is a novel approach towards understanding the interaction of horse hoofs with the race track.
  • The model was validated against already existing analytical models and data. Five key parameters of the SPH model were calibrated with the aid of a track testing device, which was used on two types of racetrack surfaces: dirt and all-weather synthetic.

About the Sensitivity Analysis

  • Apart from creating a computational representation, the team also performed a sensitivity analysis. This analysis helps identify which parameters have the most significant contribution towards the mechanical response of the track under the impact-type loading that happens due to horse’s galloping.
  • The findings indicated the amount of harrowing – a routine maintenance procedure that breaks up packed dirt to an even depth – applied to the track affected the impact loading the most. This was followed by the elastic modulus – a measure of a material’s elasticity – and cohesion – intermolecular forces that hold together identical or different particles.

Integration with a Biomechanical Model

  • In the final stage, the SPH track model was amalgamated with a biomechanical model of the horse’s forelimb. This combination was then used to simulate the hoof-track impact as the horse galloped on different track surfaces.
  • Through this simulation, the team could examine the relationship between track surface parameters and the loading on the horses’ distal forelimbs.

Conclusion of Findings

  • Overall, the study found that the SPH track model was validated effectively and could accurately represent the impact of loading on different racetrack surfaces at two angles of impact.
  • This study revealed that the model could accurately simulate the interaction between horse hooves and the ground, proving vital for studying the relationship between track surface parameters and their potential contribution to injury risk in racehorses.

Cite This Article

APA
Harrison SM, Whitton RC, Stover SM, Symons JE, Cleary PW. (2022). A Coupled Biomechanical-Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics Model for Horse Racing Tracks. Front Bioeng Biotechnol, 10, 766748. https://doi.org/10.3389/fbioe.2022.766748

Publication

ISSN: 2296-4185
NlmUniqueID: 101632513
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 10
Pages: 766748

Researcher Affiliations

Harrison, Simon M
  • Data61, CSIRO, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
Whitton, R Chris
  • Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Stover, Susan M
  • School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States.
Symons, Jennifer E
  • University of Portland, Portland, OR, United States.
Cleary, Paul W
  • Data61, CSIRO, Clayton, VIC, Australia.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

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