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Sanyal et al. Describing the yield behavior of human trabecular bone
DOI:10.1038/bonekey.2015.103
Micro CT-based nonlinear finite element analysis was used to determine the multi-axial yield properties of 10 human trabecular bone samples from several anatomical locations.
The 5mm bone cubes were extracted from 8mm diameter cylindrical cores obtained in a previous study. The cores were obtained along their principal trabecular orientation and contained samples with a wide range of bone volume fraction, micro-architectural and mechanical anisotropy.
Substantial variation in multi-axial strength behavior was observed with volume fraction and anisotropy that could be accounted for by normalizing with specimen-specific values of uniaxial strength. Based on a minimum material normal yield strain definition, the identified yield criterion exhibits a rectangular box shape that is sensitive to hydrostatic pressure. A quartic yield criterion combined with a piecewise linear criterion describes the computed yield data successfully.
Editor's comment: A refined but rather complicated yield criterion for human trabecular bone is proposed and identified using non-linear micro finite element analyses. The normalization procedure is comparable to fabric-based approaches, but the application of the criterion to homogenized finite element analysis of bone will be necessary to reveal its potential benefit.
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