Abstract
<title>Abstract</title> <p>Mechanical trauma analysis is vital in forensic investigations to determine causes of death, yet current synthetic bone surrogates inadequately replicate human bone's biomechanical and microstructural properties. Here we explore the potential of the Phygital Bone (PHyB) model, a 3D-printed synthetic femur reproducing human bone macro- and microarchitecture, against fresh human femora and commercial surrogates (Synbone, Sawbones) via compression, three-point bending, and gunshot trauma tests. PHyB closely matched human femora in compression stiffness and fracture patterns, while Sawbones better approximated bullet energy loss. None fully replicated bending behavior. Cortical trait analysis revealed PHyB shares some fracture characteristics with human bone, indicating improved biomimicry. These findings suggest PHyB offers a promising platform for forensic trauma reconstruction, particularly for compression-related scenarios, though further validation across diverse loading conditions is needed before widespread forensic application.</p>