ABSTRACT
Tissue biomechanics is a study of the physical properties and the mechanical behavior of biological materials. For almost all biological materials the properties vary significantly both in location and in direction and often in unexpected ways. Most biological materials, except perhaps tooth enamel and cortical bone, are relatively soft and pliable. The chapter focuses on tissue mechanics is in understanding gross behavior, particularly of the more rigid components of the human body. From a global perspective, biological material or tissue may be classified as hard or soft. Hard tissue includes bones, cartilage, teeth, and nails. The hardness of bone is due to the presence of mineral salts—principally calcium and phosphorus. The trabecular or soft inner spongy bone is composed of rods and plates with the trabeculae generally oriented in the direction of bone loading. Bones usually fail by fracturing under trauma. There are a variety of fractures ranging from simple microcracks to comminuted fractures.
