Fracture characterization of cortical bone at the micrometer and nanometer length scales

Fracture in bone is common in a wide variety of health situations, and is of particular interest to structural engineers due to the adaptability of bone tissue in response to applied stresses. Investigations into the fracture processes within bone tissue can aid in developing medical therapies to combat bone fracture. Information from researching bone fracture can also aid in designing composite materials which exhibit bone’s characteristic high toughness and strength. Biological materials like bone exhibit behavior and functions that are the direct product of the interactions between the hierarchical structures that form the building blocks within the material. To fully understand the mechanical properties associated with bone and relate these properties to the scale of the mechanical characterization test, mechanical testing must be designed to engage the different responses of the hierarchical structures within bone. The purpose of the research presented in this thesis is to characterize fracture in cortical bone tissue using novel methods of small-scale mechanical testing such as micro-scratch tests and nanoindentation. Specimens are chosen and prepared in a manner that facilitates reproducible testing, and rigorous experimental protocols in nanoindentation and scratch testing are applied. The presented research confirms fracture behavior through scanning electron microscopy, and then applies nonlinear fracture mechanics to determine the fracture toughness of the bone tissue. The results from this research are key findings in confirming our methods with the literature with respect to nanoindentation, and to expanding the application of the novel scratch test in fracture investigations of a complex material.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Civil Engineering

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2017

Author dc:creator

• Orieka, Oke

Contributors dc:contributor

• Akono, Ange-Therese

• Fracture
• Bone

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2016 Oke Orieka

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/95414

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/95414