BME 332 – Introduction to Biosolid Mechanics
Overall course objective: Student will learn to convert conceptual ideals into mathematical relationships that allow us to calculate stress given deformation by integrating basic mechanics (balance of forces, moments, and energy) with mathematical principles (Vector Calculus and Linear Algebra)
This course covers the fundamentals of continuum mechanics and constitutive modeling relevant for biological materials. Constitutive models covered include:
- Linear Elasticity
- Nonlinear Elasticity
- Viscoelasticity
Structure-function relationships which link tissue morphology and physiology to tissue constitutive models will be covered for skeletal, cardiovascular, pulmonary, abdominal, skin, eye, and nervous tissues.
The course is divided into 2 parts:
- Introduction to Continuum Mechanics relevant to Biological Tissues
- Application of Continuum Mechanics concepts to study Tissue Mechanics
BME/ME 456 – Tissue Mechanics
Part I: Introduction to Continuum Mechanics relevant to Biological Tissues
Covers the fundamentals of continuum mechanics and constitutive modeling relevant for biological materials. Constitutive models covered include:
1. Linear Elasticity
2. Nonlinear Elasticity
3. Viscoelasticity
4. Optimization methods to fit mathematical models to collected mechanical testing data in MATLAB
Part II: Mechanical testing and Finite element modeling of tissue behavior using MIMICS/3-matics, HyperMesh, and COMSOL for the class project.
Tissue Mechanics Project Description
The goal of this project is to give you the experience of developing a finite element (FE) model of a soft tissue behavior from scratch. If you were given this assignment at a job, you would have to determine the mechanical properties of the tissue, figure out which mathematical model you will use to describe the load/deformation behavior of the tissue, and then create and validate your model. These are the steps that you will undertake this semester for different orthopaedic tissues derived from sheep.
Assignment #1: Develop mechanical testing protocol for a specific tissue of the sheep knee (20%)
Assignment #2: Written report on outcomes for tissue testing (30%)
Assignment #3: A functional FE model of your testing protocol using COMSOL (30%)
Assignment #4: Oral presentation comparing the outputs from testing the actual tissue and the FE model (20%)