To compare the numerous modulus-density and strength-density relations that have been found for human trabecular bone from the proximal tibia, correlations between various measures of density were sought. Hydrated and dry apparent density, ash density, and density from quantitative computed tomography (QCT) were determined for cubic trabecular specimens taken from the proximal portion of human tibiae, and correlations between these measures were found (r > 0.99, P < .001). Orthogonal moduli and strengths of the specimens were measured mechanically, and were significantly correlated with ash density according to power relations (r > or = 0.85, P < .001). The strong correlation between density from QCT and ash density indicates that these measures can be used with nearly equal precision in estimating modulus and strength of tibial trabecular bone. Equations between mechanical properties and density reported in previous studies were converted to use a common density measure and, after considering the effects of specimen size, were in general agreement with results of the present study.

To obtain information describing the postfailure behavior of human proximal tibial trabecular bone, cube specimens of bone were mechanically tested in compression beyond the point of failure. Tests were performed in the three anatomic directions, plots of stress versus strain were obtained, and measures to describe the stress-strain relations before, during, and after failure were defined. These measures included elastic modulus, strength, postfailure slope, strain during maximum stress, and first postfailure minimum stress. For each anatomic direction, analyses were performed to correlate these parameters with ash density. Each of these measures was significantly correlated with ash density at the p < 0.05 level for all test directions, except for postfailure slope, which was correlated in the mediolateral and superior-inferior directions, and strain during maximum stress, which was correlated only in the superior-inferior direction. The data from this study enable trilinear stress-strain relations to be estimated for proximal tibial trabecular bone of various densities, and can serve as a first step toward modeling the behavior of trabecular bone before, during, and after failure.