A Study of Cancellous Bone as a Shock-Absorbing Composite Material.

摘要

The goal of the project was to explore and define the structure-properties relationship in cancellous (spongy) bone and its role as shock absorber in the body. The primary tool for structural investigation was quantitative stereology. By using this technique investigators were able to show that the stiffness of bone is more sensitive to trabecular contiguity than to overall density. The results indicate that cancellous or trabecular bone can be treated as a composite structure, and can be analyzed by the quantitative microscopic and computational techniques used by the materials scientist. Finally, these studies have led to new understandings of osteoarthritis, chondromalacia and the biomechanics of bone architecture and remodeling.