Finite element analysis of the behaviour of crack emanating from microvoid in cement of reconstructed acetabulum

In this study, the finite element method is used to analyse the behaviour of crack emanating from microvoid and ordinary crack in cement of reconstructed acetabulum by computing the stress intensity factor at the crack tip. In order to predict the crack initiation location, the stress distribution around the microvoid is computed under three load cases. From stress results, one can note that there is a great risk of crack initiation in radial direction. From stress intensity factors computation, this same orientation is the dangerous because the mode I stress intensity factor is the higher in this direction. From comparison results on can see clearly that crack emanating from microvoid is most dangerous, and the difference in the stress intensity factors between the two cracks change with the crack inclination and this difference is constant for three load cases. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.