PHYSICS RESOURCES DATABASE

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

ULTIMATE STRENGTHS

Torques & Breaking Angles - human bones

 

 The strength of a material is the stress that will cause failure.

Yield strength Þ stress at which slip first occurs - stress/strain curve becomes non-linear.

Ultimate tensile or compressive strength Þ maximum stress material can experience.

Breaking strength Þ stress corresponding to the rupture of the material.

MATERIAL

Typical values only

BREAKING STRESS

(Mpa)

TENSILE

(MPa)

COMPRESSIVE

(MPa)

Aluminum

220

420

260

Brick

 

5.5

15

Bladder wall

 

0.2

 

Bone

human,compact

human femur

horse femur

 

 

110

124

124

 

150

170

145

Brass

470

300

 

Bronze

 

350

 

Cartilage

 

3

 

Concrete

 

4

35

Cotton

 

350

 

Granite

 

20

240

Hair

 

190

 

Intestine

 

0.5

 

Kevlar

 

2760

 

Lead

 

12

 

Leather

 

41

 

Marble

 

10

110

Muscle

 

0.1

 

Natural rubber

 

0.03

 

Nylon thread

 

1100

 

Polystrene

 

48

90

Skin

 

10

 

Spider's silk

 

350

 

Steel

Structural

Piano wire

 

 

1000

 

400

3100

 

Tendon

 

70

 

TORQUES AND BREAKING ANGLES FOR HUMAN BONE

 

 Torque t (N.m)

 f (degrees)

 

 Ulna or radius (forearm)

 20

15 

 

 Humerus (upper arm)

60 

 

 Femur (thigh)

140

1.5 

 

 Tibia (lower leg)

100 

 

 

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