Fatigue damage and reliability assessment of cemented hip prosthesis

Continuum damage mechanics model is used in the finite element calculation of fatigue process in a cemented hip prosthesis. The cement mantle is assumed to be subjected to the fatigue damage resulting in evolution of the damage-induced material anisotropy and leading, eventually, to loosening of the prosthesis. Fatigue parameters and loads are assumed to be random variables. The reliability analysis is carried out for a linear approximation of the limit state function and, eventually, some corrections are presented to improve the fatigue lifetime probability distribution assessment.