Study of the microstructure and mechanical properties of hummingbird wing-bones

A study of the microstructural and mechanical properties of wing bones of an Anna's hummingbird (Calypte Anna) and a tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) was conducted to determine whether the hummingbird bones exhibited unique features due to the high wing loading of the bird. It was hypothesized that the hummingbird's ability to hover, flapping its wings at an incredible rate, would create higher principal stresses that would require an internal bone structure notably different from that of the swallow. Micro-computed tomography, scanning electron microscopy, and nano-indentation experiments were conducted to determine if such anomalies existed. Additional macroscale measurements were taken to compare relative proportions of each of the bones of interest, which included the humerus, radius, and ulna. Upon examining the images produced via micro-computed tomography and scanning electron microscopy, it was found that trabecular bone was present, suggesting the mechanical advantages of the trabeculae were required. Nano-indentation results proved to be relatively inconclusive, but generally provided results reasonably close to expected literature values. Further experimentation would be required to determine if the deviation from expected values were meaningful.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Materials Science and Engineering.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2011

Author dc:creator

• Kish, Tatiana Marie

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Lorna Gibson.

• Materials Science and Engineering.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/101857

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/101857