A cumulative damage model for bone fracture.

A mathematical model is presented to describe the combined time-dependent and cycle-dependent fracture characteristics of devitalized cortical bone. Failure is interpreted based on a linear-life fraction rule, which accounts for cumulative creep and fatigue damage under arbitrary loading histories. The model is successful in describing the influence of loading rate on monotonic tensile strength, the time to failure in constant stress creep-fracture tests, and bone fracture in zero-tension and tension-compression cyclic loading. The possible implications of the model to in vivo bone fracture, deformity, and remodelling in response to various loading histories are considered.