Interaction of rod decussation and crack growth in enamel

Siyong Liu, Yuanzhi Xu, Bingbing An and Dongsheng Zhang

Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering, 2023, vol. 26, issue 6, 700-709

Abstract: Enamel possesses ingenious hierarchical structure that gives rise to superior fracture resistance. Despite considerable efforts devoted to characterization of fracture behavior of enamel, the role of rod decussation in fracture of enamel is largely unknown. In this study, the features of rod decussation in the inner enamel are experimentally identified, and analyses of crack growth in enamel are carried out using a micromechanical model of enamel, in which the structural features of the outer enamel and rod decussation of the inner enamel are incorporated. We carry out calculations within a framework based on the extended finite element method, and the crack growth and crack path selection are natural outcomes of imposed loading. We show that crack deflection in enamel is controlled by rod decussation. For crack growth in the parazone, the crack path is oriented along the axis of enamel rods, leading to gross crack deflection. The microstructure of inner enamel with intermediate inclination angle enables multiple crack deflections, giving rise to enhanced toughness. For crack growth in the diazone, the transition in orientation of crack deflection occurs as inclination angle increases. The relatively straight crack path emerges in the case of the microstructure of enamel with intermediate inclination angle, leading to weak fracture resistance. It is further found that compared with the diazone, the gross crack deflection in the parazone provides greater contribution to fracture resistance of enamel. The findings of this study provide a good mechanistic understanding of the role of rod decussation in enamel.

Date: 2023
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/10255842.2022.2084333 (text/html)
Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:taf:gcmbxx:v:26:y:2023:i:6:p:700-709

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.tandfonline.com/pricing/journal/gcmb20

DOI: 10.1080/10255842.2022.2084333

Access Statistics for this article

Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering is currently edited by Director of Biomaterials John Middleton

More articles in Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering from Taylor & Francis Journals
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Chris Longhurst ().