Multiscale Analysis of Trabecular Bone

Abstract

Bone has a complex hierarchical structure. We study trabecular bone as a multi-scale material. In particular, we distinguish the following scales: nanostructural (collagen fibrils and apatite crystals), microscale (single laminae and laminated structure), mesoscale (random network of struts), and macroscale. We first present experimental observations and an overview of existing theoretical models of bone. Then, we construct a hierarchical model to predict elastic properties of trabecular bone.