Biomechanics

Compression

Biomechanics Overview   Torsion   Bending   Compression   Fracture  

• Vertebral compression tests are conducted to determine the mechanical properties of cancellous bone that make up the majority of the vertebra

• The vertebra is compressed between two parallel plates until failure using a material testing system (Instron™)

• Failure usually occurs internally rather than by catastrophic failure as observed in bending. As many of the trabeculae (or struts) of cancellous bone break, the entire structure cannot support the applied force, which in the test is observed as a drop in force, and consequently the functional failure of the vertebra.

• As in the bending experiments, the applied force is measured using a load-cell and the resulting deformation is measured using a LVDT