[Bone tensile strength and hydrostatic stress]

A model making use of an elastic-plastic material law and continuous damage mechanics has been developed to define the strength of trabecular bone. With the aid of this model, the differences in the behaviour of bone under tensile and compressive stresses can be simulated numerically. It is also possible to calculate the loss of strength of bone via a damage variable. The calculated results are in good agreement with stress-strain curves determined experimentally.