The role of trabecular architecture in the anisotropic mechanical properties of bone

Abstract

As yet, no unique relationship between mechanical and structural parameters has been established for trabecular bone. A possible explanation for the variability in the relationships obtained so far is that the results of mechanical tests represent more parameters than those of trabecular morphology alone. In the present study, the results of such a mechanical test are compared to results of a numerical experiment, from which the isolated mechanical role of the trabecular architecture of a bone specimen is obtained. A mechanically tested bone specimen was reconstructed in a computer and converted to a microstructural FE-model. The results of experiment and FE-simulation were, obviously, not identical. It is hypothesized that experimental artifacts are the most important factors affecting the mechanical test results, thus causing variability in the relationships. More accurate relationships are expected when these artifacts can be excluded, for example, by using microstructural FE-models.