Title: Dynamic mechanical properties of human ribs

Authors: Gavriel Feuer; Subashis Paul; Subrata Saha

Addresses: SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, 450 Clarkson Avenue, Box 30, Brooklyn, NY 11203, USA ' SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, 450 Clarkson Avenue, Box 30, Brooklyn, NY 11203, USA ' SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, 450 Clarkson Avenue, Box 30, Brooklyn, NY 11203, USA

Abstract: In order to characterise the mechanical behaviour of bones under various loading conditions, it is important to determine the effect of strain rate on the load carrying capacity and fracture behaviour of various members of our skeletal system. This study aims to understand the mechanical behaviour of human thoracic ribs through the application of a variety of strain rates. In this experiment, embalmed ribs were tested in a three-point bending mode under three different rates of deformation ranging from 0.05 to 8 mm/s. Mechanical parameters such as maximum bending moment, maximum deformation, bending stiffness and energy absorption capacity were determined. The maximum bending moment and stiffness showed an increase by 53% and 8%, respectively, at the highest rate of deformation compared to the lowest. The ultimate deformation and energy absorbed also increased by 26% and 66%, respectively, in this range of deformation rate. This data confirm that bone is viscoelastic in nature and exhibits different mechanical properties that are a function of strain rate.

Keywords: bone behaviour; human ribs; thoracic ribs; trauma; mechanical properties; impact; strain rate; collisions; load carrying capacity; fracture behaviour; bending moment; deformation; bending stiffness; energy absorption capacity; viscoelasticity.

DOI: 10.1504/IJVS.2013.056969

International Journal of Vehicle Safety, 2013 Vol.6 No.4, pp.361 - 367

Received: 14 Feb 2013
Accepted: 15 Apr 2013
Published online: 16 Oct 2014 *

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