Limit analysis of human proximal femur

A limit analysis numerical approach oriented to predict the peak/collapse load of human proximal femur, under two different loading conditions, is presented. A yield criterion of Tsai–Hu-type, expressed in principal stress space, is used to model the orthotropic bone tissues. A simplified human femur 3D model is envisaged to carry on numerical simulation of in-vitro tests borrowed from the relevant literature and to reproduce their findings. A critical discussion, together with possible future developments, is presented.