DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATION OF A MORPHOLOGICAL MODEL FOR TRABECULAR BONE

Abstract

Bone is a complex structure with a range of geometries, densities, and mechanical properties. We investigated the capability of the gyroid to act as a morphological model for bone. Our results showed that, based on its mechanical behaviour and morphometry, the gyroid unit cell can act as a good representative of trabecular bone.

Using the mechanical properties of gyroid unit cells as input for macroscale numerical simulations of the proximal femur, we noted that femora that have suffered severe bone loss exhibit a structural stiffness reduction and a plateau-like behaviour in load-displacement graphs.

Lastly, we employed the gyroid model to generate a structure that resembled the femoral neck in geometry and density. This structure was used to relate the phenomenon of strut buckling to the structural yield envelope. Our findings could be significant in understanding the aetiology and hierarchical nature of bone failure.