Study of the behavior of the trabecular bone under cyclic compression with stepwise increasing amplitude.

This paper presents the results of a study of 61 trabecular bone samples exposed to a cyclic (1 Hz) compression load. The load was increased stepwise. Characteristic patterns of the hysteresis loop for the middle cycles of successive steps of load and for respective steps of load are presented. Characteristic patterns of secant modulus were also determined. The fatigue life results recorded were compared with the indices of bone architecture determined using micro-CT. Using Pearson's correlation, the best relationship between fatigue life and bone volume ratio (BV/TV) and the maximum load for which there was also reported a maximal value secant stiffness were identified. Based on these findings, it was determined that it is possible to use stepwise increasing load for analysis of the fatigue behavior of trabecular bone.