Abstract
Machined specimens from ten cadaver proximal tibiae were tested in compression to study the variation of mechanical strength with the distance from the joint surface. There was a statistically significant reduction of stiffness and strength with increasing distance from the joint beneath the lateral condyle and the intercondylar area; at the medial condyle no such reduction could be demonstrated. Linear regression analysis showed that the tangent modulus may be used to predict yield strength (r = 0.92) and ultimate strength (r = 0.91) when destruction of the specimen is undesirable.
One important limitation of the technique employed is that the length of test specimens determines the resolution that can be obtained.
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