A fully implicit and thermodynamically consistent finite element framework for bone remodeling simulations

This work addresses the thermodynamically consistent formulation of bone remodeling as a fully implicit finite element material model. To this end, bone remodeling is described in the framework of thermodynamics for open systems resulting in a thermodynamically consistent constitutive law. In close analogy to elastoplastic material modeling, the constitutive equations are implicitly integrated in time and incorporated into a finite element weak form. A consistent linearization scheme is provided for the subsequent incremental non-linear boundary value problem, resulting in a computationally efficient description of bone remodeling. The presented model is suitable for implementation in any standard finite element framework with quadratic or higher-order element types. Two numerical examples in three dimensions are shown as proof of the efficiency of the proposed method.