Oscillating Couette flow for in vitro cell loading

Synovial joints are loaded by weight bearing, stretching, and fluid-driven shear. To simulate in vitro fluid-driven shear, we developed an “oscillating Couette flow mechanical shear loader”. Oscillating Couette flow mimics relative motion of articular surfaces; hence, characterizing flow-induced shear by the loader enhances understanding of mechanotransduction in the joint tissue. Here, the analytical and computational models for an oscillating Couette flow were used to predict time-varying shear distribution on a plate surface, applying numerical simulation to evaluate the effects of finite plate dimension in a 2D flow. Shear stress on the plate was significantly different from that in simpler models (unbounded plates and viscous low-frequency flow). High-stress spots appeared near the leading and trailing edges of a moving plate, and a relatively uniform shear region was restricted to the interior area. Stress prediction in an example experimental geometry is presented, where the frequency and finite width effects are feasibly accounted.