MEASUREMENT OF MECHANICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF TIBIAL PERIOSTEUM AND EVALUATION OF LOCAL-DIFFERENCES

Stress-strain relationships of bovine tibial periosteum, harvested fro m anterior, medial, lateral, and posterior aspects of tibia, were succ essfully measured using a newly developed experimental system. Results showed a curvilinear stress-strain pattern having three regions, i.e. , toe, almost linear and rupture regions, which resembled those of bio logical soft tissues like ligaments, skin, etc. Tensile moduli in the toe region (Ee) and in the linear region (Ec) were obtained by linear regressional analyses. These values and the tensile strength (sigma(1) ) showed clear local differences. The values of Ee, Ec, and sigma(1) i n the longitudinal direction in the metaphyseal regions where ligament s or connective tissues attach were approximately two times larger tha n those in the diaphysis, where muscles or connective tissues attach. However, these properties in the metaphyseal and diaphyseal regions wi th muscle attachments were almost the same, In the transverse directio n, these properties in the anterior proximal metaphysis were approxima tely two times larger than those in the diaphysis and in the distal me taphysis. In the other regions, these properties appeared not to be si gnificantly different. These results clearly demonstrate that the mech anical properties of periosteum are strongly influenced by the ligamen t and muscle attachments.