The Nanoindentation Properties of Intramuscular Herring Bone Related to Microstructure

INTRODUCTION It has long been known that variations in the microstructure of bone have a profound effect on the mechanical properties of the tissue and that these properties vary significantly between and within the cortices of bones. However, the microstructural basis and the functional significance of such variation remains poorly understood. One reason for this is the difficulty in acquiring large enough samples of a material comprised only of that particular structural type of interest for mechanical testing [1]. The availability of depth-sensing nanoindentation instruments with capabilities for measuring displacements on the order of nanometers makes it possible to measure the properties of the small microstructural features in bone. The primary aim of this research was to investigate the relationship between microstructure and nanoindentation properties of intramuscular herring bones.