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Mechanism of failure of the ligamentum flavum of the spine during in vitro tensile tests
Author(s) -
Sikoryn T. A.,
Hukins D. W. L.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
journal of orthopaedic research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.041
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 1554-527X
pISSN - 0736-0266
DOI - 10.1002/jor.1100080415
Subject(s) - mechanism (biology) , ultimate tensile strength , spine (molecular biology) , failure mechanism , materials science , composite material , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , physics , quantum mechanics
Thirty ligamenta flava were dissected from pig lumbar spines with their attachments to the bone of the laminae still intact. These specimens were tested to failure, in tension, at strain rates of 0.03 and 0.2s‐ 1 . Video recordings ligaments became detached from the bone. The maximum stress that the ligaments were able to transmit was approxmately 3 MPa. However, the corresponding strain was higher when testing at the slower strain rate than at the faster rate; these strains were 1.6 ± 0.5 and 1.0 ± 0.3, respectively. All specimens were able to transmit stress after the maximum value had been attained because threads of ligament continued to remain attached to bone. Complete failure did not occur until the last of these threads had pulled away. Scanning electron micrographs showed no ligament, other than a few isolated pieces of fibre, adhering to bone after failure had occurred.