- Docente: Luca Cristofolini
- Credits: 6
- Language: Italian
- Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
- Campus: Bologna
-
Corso:
Second cycle degree programme (LM) in
Electronic Engineering (cod. 0934)
Also valid for Second cycle degree programme (LM) in Mechanical Engineering (cod. 0938)
Learning outcomes
Fundamentals of mechanics of living
tissues. After attending the course the student will be able
to:
- Understand the mechanical
properties and time-dependence of living
tissues.
- Develop and analyze experiments for
mechanical testing biological tissues.
Course contents
Recalling concepts of mechanics of materials:
- Elasticity, plasticity, viscoelasticity,
pseudoelasticity
- Failure criteria (brittle, ductile, viscoelastic,
fatigue)
Structure and composition of living tissues:
- Structural components
- Structure and organization and properties of tissues
Classification and description of main tissues (based on
function; based on mechanical properties):
- Bone
- Ligaments
- Tendons
- Cartilage
- Menisci
Mechanical properties of tissues and response to mechanical
stress:
- Function, structure, mechanical properties
- Elasticity, viscoelasticity
- Mechanical strength and trauma of tissues
- Growth, modelling, healing, and remodelling
Methods for mechanical testing of biological tissues:
- Problems related to testing (measurement error, error
propagation, design of the experiment)
- Types of test (tensile, bending compression, friction,
creep, hysteresis, viscosity, etc).
- Measurement devices
Laboratory activity:
The course is based on a series of weekly laboratory testing
(some numerical, but mainly experimental, in-vitro).
Experiments will be carried out measuring biomechanical properties
of tissue specimens and of biomechanical systems. Each
student must prepare a technical report for each of the
experiments. The report must be short and exhaustive,
covering: introduction and goals of the experiments; description of
specimens and testing devices; presentation of results (including
analysis of errors); discussion of results and conclusive remarks.
Readings/Bibliography
The course relies on a set of slides intended to cover the entire
program. The slides are made available to the students during the
course through the UniBo web services. They can be
downloaded from the online services of UniBo Insegnamenti Online (UniBo
students only)
Further reading (optional):
- Montevecchi F., Redaelli A. “Biomeccanica. Analisi
multiscala di tessuti biologici” Patron Pubbl. 2007
- Fung Y.C. “Biomechanics: Mechanical properties of
living tissues” Springer-Verlag Publ., 1981 (properties of tissues)
- Fung Y.C. “Biomechanics: Motion, flow, stress and growth”
Springer-Verlag Publ., 1990 (tissue adaptation and healing)
- Beer F.P., Russel J.E. "Scienza delle costruzioni.
Introduzione alla meccanica dei materiali" McGraw-Hill Publ.
(mechanics of materials, with examples)
- Nordin M., Frankel V.H. "Basic biomechanics of the
musculoskeletal system" Lea & Febiger Publ. (exercises and
examples in biomechanics)
- Black J., Hastings G. "Handobook of biomaterial
properties" Chapman & Hall Publ. (properties of tissues)
- Bronzino J.D. "The Biomedical engineering handbook" CRC
Press - IEEE Press (general handbook)
- Palastanga et al. "Anatomy and human movement"
Butterworth-Heinemann Publ. (functional anatomy)
- Pietrabissa R. "Biomateriali per protesi e organi
artificiali" Patron ed. (biomaterials)
Teaching methods
The theoretical lectures are
supported and complemented by a series of weekly experiments in the
lab.
Assessment methods
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 emergency, the most updated information can be found in the "News" webpage of prof. Cristofolini.
Oral exam (covering the teaching program, the lab experiments). Please contact me for details
Teaching tools
Projector, chalkboard. Experimental
laboratory work includes the use of tools for the preparation of
in-vitro tissue specimens, and of machines for material
testing.
Office hours
See the website of Luca Cristofolini