Courses

BM 525 Tissue Biomechanics
Introduction to biomechanics and to the structures of the musculoskeletal system. Concepts of continuum mechanics, finite deformation analysis, viscoelasticity, anisotropy inhomogeneity and hyperelasticity, to describe the complex mechanical properties of biological tissues, with the emphasis on the tissues comprising the musculoskeletal system.

BM 526 Motion Biomechanics
Analysis of movement of the musculoskeletal system: anthropometry, link-segment models, kinematics, kinetics. Active and passive mechanical properties of skeletal muscle in relation to its structure. Mechanisms of transmission of muscle force. Effects of myofascial force transmission on muscle function. Motor control and coordination of muscular activity: types of muscle fibers, motor units, size principle, sensory information.

BM 586 Skeletal Muscle Mechanics
Skeletal muscle architecture: morphology, uni- and multipennate muscles, mono- and multiarticular muscles. Mechanism of activation and sliding filament theory. Force production in the sarcomere level in isometric and isokinetic conditions. Force production in the muscle level and muscle architecture variations in relation to force production. Muscle mechanics: Hill’s muscle equation, Hill type muscle models, constancy of muscle volume, constitutive models, mechanisms of transmission of muscle force. Finite element modeling of muscle. Experimental techniques.

BM 592 Fundamental Mechanics For Biomedical Engineers
Introduction to stress and strain. Axial, transverse and torsional loading. Bending of beams. Stress and strain transformations. Energy methods. Column buckling. Kinematics, kinetics and vibration analysis. Fundamentals of the finite element method. Selected applicatios in biomechanics.