This class explains the mechanics of living tissue, e.g., arteries, skin, heart muscle, ligament, tendon, cartilage, and bone. Constitutive equations and some simple mechanical models helps students understand the mechanics of cells, and applications.
Prerequisites: BMED 3400
Credit Hours: 3
Average GPA: 3.28
In this course, students will learn how to perform tensor algebra operations and employ index notation to manipulate expressions containing scalar, vector, and second-order tensors. Students will further investigate the various definitions of stress and strain to identify the 3D states under different loading scenarios. This course will delineate the general mechanical characteristics of different biological materials and identify appropriate theoretical frameworks to perform stress analysis. To be prepared for this class, you must be able to apply the basics of classical physics, including conservation of mass, linear angular momentum, energy, and entropy inequalities in order to determine material parameters for biological tissues. Learn how to simplify these to basic materials. In some versions of this class, there will be MATLAB and ABAQUS based projects to model and visualize more complex biomechanics problems. Students read several research papers about the effects of biomechanics in the professor’s chosen system.
THE tip: Take legible and organized notes in class. Do the homework assignments carefully, and when studying for the exam, try redoing the homework problems and in-class examples. Start projects early.
Recall: BMED 3400 and matrix algebra
Spend your time… Devote time to practicing solving problems and in-class examples.
Take Home: What viscoelasticity is and how to approach analyzing the mechanical properties of soft tissues (both experimentally and analytically). How mechanics affects function of different systems in the body.