A Microstructural Study of Load Distribution in Cartilage: A Comparison of Stress Relaxation versus Creep Loading

Figure 8

An overview of a Cr1 sample. The main image is a magnification of the boxed region shown in the smaller image. The solid single-headed arrows trace the curvature of chondrocyte alignment and highlight the overall lateral deformation. The dotted arrows indicate a structural discontinuity that persists all the way up to region X, the start of the bulge region, where shear bands form. Region X is imaged at higher magnification in Figures 9 and 10 and discussed accordingly. The double-headed arrow indicates the midzone chondrocyte alignment which appears to be deviated towards the bulge region. DIC imaging.