title: Moisture, anisotropy, stress state, and strain rate effects on bighorn sheep horn keratin mechanical properties.
abstract: This paper investigates the effects of moisture, anisotropy, stress state, and strain rate on the mechanical properties of the bighorn sheep (Ovis Canadensis) horn keratin. The horns consist of fibrous keratin tubules extending along the length of the horn and are contained within an amorphous keratin matrix. Samples were tested in the rehydrated (35wt% water) and ambient dry (10wt% water) conditions along the longitudinal and radial directions under tension and compression. Increased moisture content was found to increase ductility and decrease strength, as well as alter the stress state dependent nature of the material. The horn keratin demonstrates a significant strain rate dependence in both tension and compression, and also showed increased energy absorption in the hydrated condition at high strain rates when compared to quasi-static data, with increases of 114% in tension and 192% in compression. Compressive failure occurred by lamellar buckling in the longitudinal orientation followed by shear delamination. Tensile failure in the longitudinal orientation occurred by lamellar delamination combined with tubule pullout and fracture. The structure-property relationships quantified here for bighorn sheep horn keratin can be used to help validate finite element simulations of ram's impacting each other as well as being useful for other analysis regarding horn keratin on other animals.
  
  
  
  The horn of the bighorn sheep is an anisotropic composite composed of keratin that is highly sensitive to moisture content. Keratin is also found in many other animals in the form of hooves, claws, beaks, and feathers. Only one previous study contains high rate experimental data, which was performed in the dry condition and only in compression. Considering the bighorn sheep horns' protective role in high speed impacts along with the moisture and strain rate sensitivity, more high strain rate data is needed to fully characterize and model the material. This study provides high strain rate results demonstrating the effects of moisture, anisotropy, and stress state. As a result, the comprehensive data allows modeling efforts to be greatly improved.
authors: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA; Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems (CAVS), 200 Research Blvd, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA. Electronic address: kljohnsonmsu@gmail.com.
authors: K L
authors: KL
authors: Johnson
authors: US Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Geotechnical and Structures Laboratory, 3909 Halls Ferry Rd, Vicksburg, MS 39180, USA.
authors: M W
authors: MW
authors: Trim
authors: Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems (CAVS), 200 Research Blvd, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA.
authors: D K
authors: DK
authors: Francis
authors: Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems (CAVS), 200 Research Blvd, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA.
authors: W R
authors: WR
authors: Whittington
authors: Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems (CAVS), 200 Research Blvd, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA.
authors: J A
authors: JA
authors: Miller
authors: Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems (CAVS), 200 Research Blvd, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA; Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA.
authors: C E
authors: CE
authors: Bennett
authors: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA; Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems (CAVS), 200 Research Blvd, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA.
authors: M F
authors: MF
authors: Horstemeyer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016880:Anisotropy; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D019245:Compressive Strength; D006733:Horns / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006813:Humidity; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007633:Keratins / Q000737:chemistry*; D034581:Sheep, Bighorn; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013718:Tensile Strength
chemical_list: D007633:Keratins
keywords: Keratin; Mechanical properties; Sheep horn; Strain rate dependence; Stress state dependence; Structure-property relations