Bone is a complex hierarchal structured material with varying porosity and mechanical properties. In particular, human cranial bone is essentially a natural composite consisting of low porosity outer and inner tables and a cancellous interior, or diploë. Experimental studies of biomechanically accurate cranial bone analogues are of high importance for biomechanical, forensics, and clinical researchers, which could improve the understanding and prevention of traumatic injury. Many reported studies use commercially available bone surrogates to draw biomechanical and forensics conclusions; however, their mechanical properties are not tabulated over a range of strain rates. This study elucidates the mechanical viability of three leading commercially available bone surrogates, i.e. Synbone, Sawbone, and Bonesim, over a large range of strain rates (10⁻³ to 10³ s⁻¹). Quasi-static compression testing was conducted using a universal testing machine and a Split-Hopkinson Pressure bar system equipped with high-speed video was used to determine the dynamic mechanical behavior of these materials. Micro-computed X-ray tomography (XRT) were performed on each material to investigate their pore structures and distributions. All materials exhibited strain rate dependent strength behavior, particularly at high loading rates (≥10³ s⁻¹). The Young's modulus was found to increase with strain rate from 10⁻³ to 10⁻¹ s⁻¹ for transversely and longitudinally loaded surrogate materials except for Synbone and the higher density Bonesim. The higher density Bonesim was determined to be the most suitable cranial bone simulant tested based on a combination of transverse Young's Modulus (1500 MPa), yield strength (19 MPa), ultimate strength (49 MPa), and ultimate strain (17%). These materials show limited promise for applications where the measured elastic properties and strengths are of interest.

骨是具有不同孔隙率和机械性能的复杂的层次结构材料。特别是，人的颅骨本质上是一种天然复合材料，由低孔隙度的外部和内部桌子以及松散的内部结构或双体结构组成。生物力学精确的颅骨类似物的实验研究对生物力学，法医和临床研究人员具有重要意义，这可以增进对创伤性损伤的了解和预防。许多报道的研究使用可商购的骨骼替代物来得出生物力学和法医结论。但是，它们的机械性能并未在一定的应变速率范围内列出。这项研究阐明了三种主要的市售骨替代物，即Synbone，Sawbone和Bonesim，在较大的应变速率范围内的机械生存力（10^-3至10 ³ s ^-1）。使用通用测试机进行准静态压缩测试，并使用配备有高速视频的Split-Hopkinson压力杆系统确定这些材料的动态力学性能。对每种材料进行微计算机X射线断层扫描（XRT），以研究其孔结构和分布。所有材料均表现出应变率相关的强度行为，尤其是在高加载率（≥10 ³ s ^-1）下。发现杨氏模量随着应变率从10 ^-3增大到10 ^-1 s ^-1适用于横向和纵向加载的替代材料，除了Synbone和更高密度的Bonesim。基于横向杨氏模量（1500 MPa），屈服强度（19 MPa），极限强度（49 MPa）和极限应变（17％）的组合，确定较高密度的Bonesim是测试的最合适的颅骨模拟物。这些材料对于需要测量弹性性能和强度的应用显示出有限的前景。