TOBB

UNIVERSITY OF ECONOMICS AND TECHNOLOGY

Faculty of Engineering

Department of Biomedical Engineering

BMM 311L

Biomaterials and Biomechanics Laboratory

Experiment Report

Name of Experiment: EXPERIMENT 2: Axial Pull-Out Test for Metallic Medical Bone
Screws
Date of Experiment: 13.02.2024

Prepared by

Ferzan Berfin Gündüz, 201701019

Suna Sangu, 221701026

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 1. INTRODUCTION

The assessment of axial pullout strength in bone screws stands as a pivotal endeavor in the
realm of orthopedic research and medical device testing. Axial pullout strength denotes the
requisite force to fail or extract a bone screw from the material into which it is embedded,
serving as a critical metric in evaluating the reliability and efficacy of internal fixation devices
within the skeletal system.

Within the landscape of orthopedic engineering, the mechanical behavior of metallic medical
bone screws remains a subject of considerable interest and scrutiny. The quantification of
axial pullout strength not only elucidates the performance characteristics of these devices but
also addresses contentious aspects surrounding their integration with bone tissue.

Rigorous testing methodologies, such as the Axial Pull-out Test delineated by ASTM F543-
02, are indispensable for the comprehensive evaluation of metallic medical bone screws.
These standardized protocols provide a robust framework for assessing the mechanical
integrity and fixation capabilities of orthopedic implants. [1]

In the pursuit of advancing orthopedic knowledge and enhancing patient care, research
endeavors aimed at elucidating the axial pullout strength of bone screws hold significant
promise. By integrating findings from biomechanical studies and clinical observations,
researchers strive to optimize the design and deployment of metallic medical bone screws,
ultimately improving patient outcomes and mitigating surgical risks.

To enrich understanding, the terms and components pertinent to this experiment are visually
delineated in Figure 1 [2], offering a comprehensive overview of the structural anatomy of
bone screws and facilitating comprehension among researchers and practitioners alike.

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2. MATERIALS AND METHODS
This test was conducted to measure the torsional yield strength, maximum torque and
fracture angle of the bone screw under standard conditions. The results obtained are not
intended to predict the torque encountered during insertion or removal of a bone screw into
living bone. Pedicle screws were used in this test. Pedicle screws provide extra support and
strength. This testing method is designed to measure the uniformity of the product under test
or compare it with the mechanical properties of similar products. The test sample will be a
bone screw. Calibration of the torsion test apparatus that will be used to apply the required
torque to the sample; It should be done according to torque, rotation and displacement. The
torsional force will be applied at a constant speed of 1 to 5 rpm and will be controlled by a
transducer that converts the applied torque into a changeable electrical signal. To prevent the
screw from rotating under pressure, care must be taken not to damage the mechanical
properties with a mechanical device clamped onto the bone screw. This process is to fix the
gear holder inside another gear holder. The thread holder will prevent the screw from fully
entering the test block, allowing the torsional strength of the screw to be measured. The data
logger will be set to continuously record torque versus rotation angle. The sample is placed
in the holding device. The threads under the screw head remain exposed outside the holding
device. For very small fully threaded screws, the gauge length of the sample should represent
20% of the screw section. Most of the screw thread must be retained to fully secure the
screw. It must be adjusted so that it does not rotate under torsional load. For test screws of
similar design, the gauge length or grip length should be kept the same length. The torque
wrench will be operated at a certain rate. 1 to 5 rpm. A chart recorder with an angular
displacement scale or 50°/cm precision is sufficient to measure the maximum torque and
fracture angle. A chart recorder with an angular displacement scale or accuracy of 10°/cm or
less is recommended to ensure accurate offset measurement result. The maximum torque is
determined by the largest torque value on the torque-rotation angle curve, while the break-
over angle is determined from the torque-angle graph. The break angle is the point where the
torque portion has a negative slope.

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3. MEASUREMENTS AND CALCULATIONS

1000 Load-Displacement
900
800
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
-0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5

Graph1: The graphic of Load- Displacement

1) Axial Pull out Strength

Fmax 910.80572
= =38.43 MPa
A 2.37∗10
−5

5.5 −3
Fmax=910.80572 N r = ∗10 m
2

2) Absorbed Energy

Graph2: Seperation of the area below until Fmax

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The integration starting from zero to the point where Fmax intersects x-axis gives the
absorbed energy.

The area of the triangle : 26 mm^2

The area of the trapezoid: 231 mm^2
The area of the trapezoid: 59 mm^2
The area of the trapezoid: 46.5 mm^2
The area of the triangle: 52.5 mm^2

The summation of the areas is calculated 416 mm^2. Based on the information above the
absorbed energy is calculated as 416.5 mJ.

4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

In this experiment the aim was to identify the axial tensile force needed ,to fail or remove a
bone screw from a defined material which is important for understanding the mechanical
behaviour of the metallic screw-bone relationshp. The equipments used are polyurethane
and metallic bone screws.The experiment indicates that axial pull-out strength relies on
both maximum pull-out strength and the metallic medical screw’s area.Also reducing the
screw diameter can enhance tensile strength and optimizing the bone screw desgn, such as
modifying thread conformation and geometry, can contribute to improved axial pull-out
strength. The experiment was conducted according to the standardized procedures outlined
in ASTM F543-23, which guarentees the consistency and reliability in the testing process.It
can be said that maximum load applied during test, indicates the resistance of the bone
screws under loading. The absorbed energy of a material or structure refers to the energy it
absorbs during deformation and as you can see it usually calculated by measuring the area
under the load-displacement curve. In our experiment the absorbed energy is calculated as
416.5mJ.

It is important to note that axial pull- out strength, which was calculated 38.43 MPa from
load-displacement curve, and absorbed energy are two distict concepts. Absorbed energy
gauges a material’s toughness and ists capacity to deform plastically while still absorning
energy befoe failure. And axial pull-out strength measures a fastener’s ability to resist being
pulled out of. The calculations which measured with the help of the curves resulted in as we
expected. At the end of the experiment extraction of the metallic screw occurred. During
axial pull-out test no visible damage was observed and on the surface of the block material

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 there was not any cracking mark.

Article Research

Trabecular bone shows a characteristic network of lamellar bone plates and rods that presents
with less density, less homogeneity, and a lesser degree of parallel orientation. The trabecular
bone is supplied by diffusion from the surrounding bone marrow; there are no vessels within
trabeculae. Trabecular bone is always surrounded by a cortical bone but the thickness and
strength of the cortical shell depends on location. Long bones, for example, show a higher
cortex-to-trabecular bone volume ratio than vertebrae and the diaphyseal areas of long bones
show a higher cortex-to-trabecular bone ratio than the metaphyseal areas..Cortical bone is
stiffer and able to resist higher ultimate stresses than trabecular bone, but it is also more brittle
Trabecular bone in vitro can withstand strains up to 30%, cortical bone fails with strains of
only 2%. While the biomechanical behaviourof cortical bone is rather uniform, trabecular
bone shows a wide variability in strength and stiffness. The mechanical response to loading,
differs widely between cortical and trabecular bone. Cortical bone, for instance, shows small
load carrying capacity when loaded beyond its range of elastic deformation (post-yield) both
with tensile and compression loads. In contrast, the load carrying capacity of trabecular bone
is insignificant after tensile fracture, but even larger than for cortical bone after compressive
fracture .[3]When examining the axial pullout strength of metallic medical bone screws, it is
essential to compare trabecular and cortical bone in terms of both axial pullout strength and
absorbed energy. Trabecular bone, characterized by its porous and spongy composition,
typically displays lower axial pullout strength compared to the denser and more compact
cortical bone. This strength discrepancy arises from variations in bone density and structural
characteristics between the two types of bone tissue. The porous nature of trabecular bone
results in reduced resistance to axial tensile forces, leading to diminished pullout strength.

In terms of absorbed energy during axial pullout testing, trabecular bone exhibits superior
energy absorption capacity. This can be attributed to its capacity to deform and effectively
dissipate energy under loading conditions. Conversely, cortical bone, with its stiffer and
less deformable structure, demonstrates lower energy absorption capacity. [4-5]

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 5. REFERENCES

[1] ASTM International. (2002). Standard Specification and Test Methods for Metallic
Medical Bone Screws (ASTM F543-02).

[2] ASTM International. (2002). Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Volume 14.02, General
Test Methods; Forensic Psychophysiology; Forensic Sciences; Terminology; Conformity
Assessment; Statistical Methods; Nanotechnology; Language Services; Physical Properties of
Textiles; Forensic Engineering; Manufacture of Pharmaceutical Products.

[3] Osterhoff G, Morgan EF, Shefelbine SJ, Karim L, McNamara LM, Augat P. Bone
mechanical properties and changes with osteoporosis. Injury. 2016 Jun;47 Suppl 2(Suppl
2):S11-20. doi: 10.1016/S0020-1383(16)47003-8. PMID: 27338221; PMCID: PMC4955555

[4] Navin Kumar, Amit Kumar, Piyush Uniyal, Boda Ramalingaiah, Sidharath Sharma, Vijay
G. Goni, Sameer Aggarwal, Sanjay Kumar Bhadada and Bharat Bhushan, Mimicking High
Strength Lightweight Novel Structures Inspired From the Trabecular Bone Microarchitecture.

[5] Demko JL, Soniat ME, Elder S, McLaughlin R. Axial pull-out strength of 3.5 cortical and
4.0 cancellous bone screws placed in canine proximal tibias using manual and power tapping.
Vet Comp Orthop Traumatol. 2008;21(4):323-8. doi: 10.3415/vcot-07-08-0082. PMID:
187042

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