ABSTRACT
In order to describe biomaterials accurately, it is necessary to understand the basic concepts of material behaviour. In this chapter, the basic concepts of stress, strain, strength, deformation and failure as applied to biomaterials are described. For the purposes of any orthopaedic examination, one should be able to reproduce a stress-strain curve and explain its salient features. One should also be able to explain the mechanics of bending and torsional forces on simple constructs such as plates and nails. The concepts of tribology (friction, lubrication, corrosion, wear) are covered in Chapter 25.
