VALIDITY OF THE DIRECT RELATION BETWEEN THE FRACTURE MECHANICS PARAMETERS, K AND G, IN THE CASE OF BONE

Abstract

The critical values of stress intensity factor and energy release rate (KIc, GIc) are important fracture mechanics parameters used in the characterization of bone fracture, assessment of bone quality, and prosthesis design. There exists, a direct relationship between stress intensity factor, K and energy release rate, G that holds good for linear elastic, isotropic, and homogeneous materials. As bone is anisotropic and non-homogeneous, whether or not the relationship is still valid is an important factor. Bone is a brittle material and if it is tested for a particular crack orientation and at a particular sampling site, it may behave as a linear elastic, isotropic, and homogeneous material. The present work verifies the direct relation between K and G of bone in the case of tangential cracks.