Profile

Career

 

1999 -	Emeritus Professor	University of York
1990 - 1996	Deputy Vice-Chancellor	University of York
1970 - 1999	Professor	University of York
1964 - 1970	Lecturer	University of York
1961	DPhil	University of Oxford
1956	BA Zoology	University of Oxford

Research

Overview

The mechanical properties of mineralised tissues, especially bone in all its manifestations and particularly, at the moment, deer antler. The role of microdamage in determining the toughness of bone

Discoveries

Using Speckle interferometry we have shown that the Young’s modulus of bone is slightly (6%) greater in tension than in compression. Using standard mechanical testing we have found that the mechanical properties of dry antler (the state it is in when used in fights) is peculiarly tough, which is of great use during the initial clash of antlers in fights.

Current projects

• Travel grants to visit collaborators in Spain and Germany. • Mechanical properties of antler bone • Analysis of antler strains during fighting • Fracture in dentine (Funding body: Spanish and German Research Councils)

Publications

Selected publications

Currey JD (2006) Bone: Structure and mechanics Princeton, Princeton University Press :

Currey JD, Pitchford JW and Baxter PD (2007) Variability of the mechanical properties of bone, and its evolutionary consequences. J Royal Soc Interface 4: 127-135

Barak MM Currey JD, Weiner S, Shahar R (2009) Are tensile and compressive Young's moduli of compact bone different? Journal of the mechanical behavior of biomedical materials 2: 51-60

Zioupos, P; Hansen, U; Currey, JD (2008) Microcracking damage and the fracture process in relation to strain rate in human cortical bone tensile failure Journal of biomechanics 41: 2932-2939

External activities

Memberships

• Editorial Board. Journal of the Mechanical Behaviour of Biomedical Materials
• Editorial Board. Journal of Biomechanics