Damage and Fatigue

Collagenous tissues can, inevitably, be damaged and broken by overload, but they are also susceptible to the prolonged application of a lesser load. The majority of studies are for bone with tendon in the second place. This chapter therefore concentrates on these tissues. Test variables which can effect the time-to-rupture include the applied stress, the frequency and the temperature. A knowledge of the stresses which arise in life helps to put the results of in vitro tests into perspective.