Frictional properties of cartilage loaded against cartilage by using a pin on disc tribometer

Articular cartilage is a specialised, aneural and avascular connective tissue that lines the end of synovial joints. Its main functions are minimising friction and wear during the movements between the joint surfaces, and spreading and transmitting loads and shocks over a larger area within articulations. Many studies have been performed to shed light on the outstanding tribological features of this soft poroelastic material. However, despite the effort expended, many aspects remain unclear. This paper presents an experimental investigation on the effect of the load and static loading time over the frictional properties of adult bovine articular cartilage.