What is Damping

Osteoporosis is chronic disease affecting most postmenopausal females and 30% of males with biological, behavioral and financial consequences. A non invasive method to assess bone structural integrity is presented, based on in-vitro or in-vivo measurement of bone dynamic characteristics (Modal Damping Factor) by applying vibration excitation in the range of acoustic frequencies, in the form of an acoustic sweep signal. This method has been applied on metallic structures and composites, including bones, and is supported by analytical and arithmetic tool based on model's theory. Experimental MDF results are compared to results acquired with conventional methods for bone quality assessment and show impressive correlations between damping factor and indices of bone quality in an advantageous manner. Evaluation of these research findings strengthens the potential of the proposed method to consist a valuable assessment tool for diagnosis and monitoring of bone integrity, in metabolic bone diseases, especially osteoporosis.