Ottman Tertuliano

Why do bones fracture? Building a computational and experimental mechanics framework

Much of what we know about bone fracture comes from single-event, equilibrium tests at large length scales. However, most fractures initiate at much smaller scales and develop gradually under repeated, cyclic loading as occurs during daily activity. Bone resists this damage remarkably well, in part because of its hierarchical structure: nanoscale collagen–mineral fibrils interact to slow crack growth and give the body time to repair itself. Understanding how these mechanisms operate across length scales is essential for improving treatments for bone fragility and inspiring tougher synthetic materials.