Anisotropic mechanical properties of lamellar bone using miniature cantilever bending specimens

The flexural modulus and work-to-fracture properties of circumferential lamellar bone from baboon tibia are presented, based on experiments with miniature cantilever bending specimens. Data is provided for specimens in three orthogonal directions that show marked anisotropy. The advantages of such miniature specimens (about 150 μm in diameter and 2 mm long) include the possibility of sampling very small volumes within a heterogeneous structure such as osteonal bone, or studying biological materials that are not available in large enough volumes for conventional mechanical analysis.