Fig. 8.

The distribution of the compressive stresses at the interface of the endplate and the trabecular bone along anterior-posterior direction for the distributed forces from the FE model (A and B) and the corresponding net resultant point forces (C and D). For loading via a disc, the composite behaves like a “flexible” beam on the elastic foundation (trabecular bone) with centrally distributed stresses (A and C). For loading via a PMMA layer, the composite behaves like a “rigid” beam on an elastic foundation with more uniform stresses (B and D).