Reducing bone plates standard fatigue test time with an analytical runout load prediction

Mechanical tests on bone plates are mandatory for regulatory purposes but may require very high execution times from the market point of view. Therefore, an accurate prediction of experimental outcomes can reduce test runtime with beneficial costs cut for manufacturers. In this study, an analytical framework for the analytical runout load computation was realised to predict the fatigue behaviour of eleven bone plate models pending certification. The prediction accuracy was verified by performing a fatigue experimental test campaign on each plate. The developed analytical framework shows promising predictive ability, with R2 above 0.938, with potential impact in reducing the experimental tests needed for the CE marking of bone plates.