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Fatigue

Fatigue

Fatigue occurs when materials rupture under repeated or fluctuating loads, even at stress levels far below their static breaking strength. It typically results in brittle failure, even for ductile materials. It is a critical consideration in designing machines and structural components subjected to repetitive or varying loads. The nature of these loadings can range from fluctuating loads like unbalanced pump impellers causing vibrations to repeatedly bending a thin steel rod wire back and forth...

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Imaging of the Microstructural Failure Mechanism in the Human Hip

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Published on: September 29, 2023

Tibial Baseplate Microstructure Governs High Cycle Fatigue Fracture In Vivo.

Michael A Kurtz¹, Jeremy L Gilbert^2,3, Hannah Spece¹

¹Implant Research Core, School of Biomedical Engineering, Science, and Health Systems, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

Journal of Biomedical Materials Research. Part B, Applied Biomaterials

|November 21, 2024

Summary

Tibial baseplate fractures in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) are rare but linked to longer implantation times. Microstructural analysis reveals in vivo fatigue crack propagation depends on alloy type and manufacturing, impacting implant durability.

Keywords:

CoCrMo Ti‐6Al‐4V fatigue fracture high cycle retrieval tibial baseplate total knee arthroplasty

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Last Updated: Jun 7, 2025

Imaging of the Microstructural Failure Mechanism in the Human Hip

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Published on: September 29, 2023

Subject-specific Musculoskeletal Model for Studying Bone Strain During Dynamic Motion

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Method and Instrumented Fixture for Femoral Fracture Testing in a Sideways Fall-on-the-Hip Position

Method and Instrumented Fixture for Femoral Fracture Testing in a Sideways Fall-on-the-Hip Position

Published on: August 17, 2017

Area of Science:

Biomaterials Science
Orthopedic Surgery
Mechanical Engineering

Background:

Tibial baseplate fractures are infrequent complications of total knee arthroplasty (TKA).
Understanding in vivo fatigue mechanisms at the microstructural level is crucial for improving implant design and longevity.
Existing fatigue models often rely on in vitro data, necessitating validation with in vivo fracture analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate clinical factors differentiating patients with fractured tibial baseplates from a larger cohort of revision TKA patients.
To elucidate the in vivo influence of alloy composition and microstructure on fatigue crack propagation in fractured tibial baseplates.
To correlate in vivo microstructural findings with established in vitro fatigue models.

Main Methods:

Analysis of three fractured tibial baseplates from an implant retrieval program.
Collated clinical data from 2120 revision TKA patients with tibial trays for comparative analysis.
Characterization of fracture features using scanning electron microscopy, digital optical microscopy, and focused ion beam milling.

Main Results:

Fracture patients had significantly longer implantation times (15.6 years) compared to the revision cohort (5.1 years).
Microstructural analysis confirmed fatigue as the primary fracture mechanism, evidenced by striations on all fractured baseplates.
In vivo fatigue crack propagation varied between Ti-6Al-4V and CoCrMo alloys, influenced by their respective microstructures and crystallographic properties.

Conclusions:

Clinical factors like extended implantation time are associated with tibial baseplate fractures.
In vivo fatigue fracture behavior is alloy-dependent and significantly influenced by the material's microstructure formed during manufacturing.
The study provides microstructural insights into in vivo fatigue failures, potentially informing future designs to enhance the durability of modern tibial baseplates.