Biomechanics

Biomechanics is a modern topic and offers an enormous range of interesting and challenging problems. Common to many biomechanical problems is a strong scale-dependent behaviour. It is important to analyze the behaviour of material at all scales and adjust models accordingly.

The ISD will operate a biomechanics laboratory, mainly for testing mechanical properties of biological tissue. The laboratory is currently under construction.

Almost all tissue in the human body contains collagen fibers. A typical example is articular cartilage, where collagen fibers distribute stress optimally for minimizing wear. The Theory of Porous Media (TPM) presents a framework for handling these, as well as other typical properties of biological material. Combining this framwork with the medical knowledge of research partners offers deep insight into vital biological processes in the human body.

One such project at the ISD is a scale-bridging simulation of processes in the human liver and effects of pharmaceuticals and alcohol on developing life-threatening complications. In industrial nations, an alarming percentage of citizens suffers from fatty liver and related diseases. Certain medications and substances can cause synergetic effects detrimental to blood flow and lead to potentially fatal necrosis.