Application of viscoelastic fracture model and non-uniform crack initiation at clinically relevant notches in crosslinked UHMWPE.

The mechanism of crack initiation from a clinically relevant notch is not well-understood for crosslinked ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) used in total joint replacement components. Static mode driving forces, rather than the cyclic mode conditions typically associated with fatigue processes, have been shown to drive crack propagation in this material. Thus, in this study, crack initiation in a notched specimen under a static load was investigated. A video microscope was used to monitor the notch surface of the specimen and crack initiation time was measured from the video by identifying the onset of crack initiation at the notch. Crack initiation was considered using a viscoelastic fracture theory. It was found that the mechanism of crack initiation involved both single layer and a distributed multi-layer phenomenon and that multi-layer crack initiation delayed the crack initiation time for all loading conditions examined. The findings of this study support that the viscoelastic fracture theory governs fracture mechanics in crosslinked UHMWPE. The findings also support that crack initiation from a notch in UHMWPE is a more complex phenomenon than treated by traditional fracture theories for polymers.