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The fatigue properties of human cortical bone

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Abstract

Rotating cantileverfatigue tests were performed on specimens extracted longitudinally from the cortices of human femora. The usual inverse relationship between stress amplitude and fatigue life was found; the median life was 1·3×104 cycles at a stress amplitude of 12,200 1bf/in2 (84·1 MN/m2) and 4·6×106 cycles at 6750 1bf/in2 (46·6 MN/m2). Arguments are advanced which suggest that these results are compatible with what is known of the stresses applied in life and the clinical occurrence of fatigue fractures.

Sommaire

Des expériences de fatigue du cantilever rotatoire ont été entreprises sur des échantillons extraits longitudinalement du cortex du fémur humain. On a trouvé le rapport inverse habituel entre l'amplitude de la force et la vie de la fatigue; la vie médiane était 1,3×104 cycles à une amplitude de force de 12 200 1bf/in2 (84,1 MN/m2) et 4,6×106 cycles à 6750 1bf/in2 (46,6 MN/m2). Des arguments sont avancés qui suggèrent que ces résultats sont compatibles avec ce qui est connu sur les forces appliquées dans la vie et les occurrences cliniques des fractures par fatigue.

Zusammenfassung

Es wurden rotierende, freitragende Ermüdungsteste an Spezimen durchgeführt, die längsweise von der Rinde des menschlichen Oberschenkelknochens entfernt worden waren. Es zeigte sich die normale, Inversbeziehung zwischen Belastungsbreite und Ermüdungsdauer: die mittlere Dauer war 1,3×104 Perioden bei einer Belastungsbreite von 12 200 1bf/in2 (84,1 MN/m)2 und 4,6×106 Perioden bei 6750 1bf/in2 (46,6 MN/m2). Es werden Schlussfolgerungen gezogen, nach welchen diese Resultate mit der erfahrungsgemässen, tatsächlichen Belastungsbreite und den klinischen Vorfällen von Ermüdungsfrakturen vergleichbar sind.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mechanical Engineering Department, Imperial College, S.W.7, London, England

    S. A. V. Swanson, M. A. R. Freeman & W. H. Day

Authors
  1. S. A. V. Swanson
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  2. M. A. R. Freeman
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  3. W. H. Day
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Swanson, S.A.V., Freeman, M.A.R. & Day, W.H. The fatigue properties of human cortical bone. Med. & biol. Engng. 9, 23–32 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02474401

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