A cellular solid model for modulus reduction due to resorption of trabeculae in bone

In osteoporotic trabecular bone, bone loss occurs by thinning and subsequent resorption of the trabeculae. In this study, we compare the effects of density reductions from uniform thinning of struts or from removal of struts in a random, open-cell, three-dimensional Voronoi structure. The results of this study, combined with those previous studies on other regular and random structures, suggest that the modulus and strength of trabecular bone are reduced more dramatically by density losses from resorption of trabeculae than by those from uniform thinning of trabeculae.