Anisotropic mechanical properties of lamellar bone using miniature cantilever bending specimens

The flexural modulus and work-to-fracture properties of circumferential lam ellar bone from baboon tibia are presented, based on experiments with minia ture cantilever bending specimens. Data is provided for specimens in three orthogonal directions that show marked anisotropy. The advantages of such m iniature specimens (about 150 mu m in diameter and 2 mm long) include the p ossibility of sampling very small volumes within a heterogeneous structure such as osteonal bone, or studying biological materials that are not availa ble in large enough volumes for conventional mechanical analysis. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.