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Student will learn how the mechanical properties of bone, enamel, cartilage, tendons, ligaments, and cells depend on their microstructure, age, and environment.
This course examines the mechanical properties of biomaterials and the dependence of these properties on the material’s microstructure, as well as other factors such as age and environment. It will concentrate on hard and soft tissues.
At the conclusion of the course students will be able to:1. Describe the microstructures of biomaterials including bone, enamel, dentin, tendons, ligaments and cells.2. Describe the changes in microstructure with age and environment.3. Relate the mechanical properties and performance, including elastic properties, strength, fatigue resistance and fracture, of biomaterials to microstructure.4. Predict the effect of age and environment on mechanical properties and behaviour of biomaterials.5. Interpret the scientific literature in the field and synthesis discussion.6. Communicate complex concepts from mechanics of biomaterials in writing and orally to peers.
This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attributes specified below:
Critically competent in a core academic discipline of their award
Students know and can critically evaluate and, where applicable, apply this knowledge to topics/issues within their majoring subject.
ENME307
Milo Kral
Tim Patrick Weihs
The course will be taught by Professor Tim Weihs, Erskine Fellow, from Johns Hopkins University, Maryland, USA.
Class FormatNotes and readings for each lecture will be posted ahead of time and should be read prior to class. Readings will include selections from textbook, reference books and journal articles. We will review the lecture material and address questions during class but the notes and readings will not be covered in detail. We will instead focus much of the class time on problems and questions related to the class topic.Problem SetsProblem sets will be assigned approximately on a bi-weekly basis and will be posted on Learn. They will be due in class on the date specified. Late homework will not be accepted without prior permission. A solution set will be posted on Learn approximately two weeks after the assignment due date.Class Presentations Each student will present key findings from at least one journal article during class time. Appropriate background information should be presented, and the measured or predicted mechanical properties should be linked to the tissue’s microstructure and chemistry. The papers and presentation times will be chosen to correspond to the class topics and will be distributed throughout weeks 5 & 6 and 11 & 12. The paper to be reviewed by each student and the duration of each student’s presentation will be determined once the enrollment numbers are clear for the class.I will expect each of you to read all of the articles that are presented. To provide incentive, I will ask each of you to turn in a list of questions and key findings for each paper, prior to its presentation. You need to list at least two questions that you would like to ask the presenter regarding the paper. You also need to list at least one key finding from the paper. In some cases there will be more than one key finding. Hand in your lists of Questions/Findings on 8.5” x 11” sheets of paper. On the top right corner, put down the title of the journal article and your name. If more than two papers are to be presented in a given day, you can put both titles and both lists of Questions/Findings on one page.ReportsIn addition to the presentation, reports covering the paper(s) that you present will be due towards the end of the semester. These should summarize the key findings of the papers, describe appropriate background material, and link the mechanical properties under consideration to the tissue’s microstructure and chemistry. More details on the requirements for the report will be presented later in the term.ExaminationsThere will be one final exam; date to be determined.Guidelines for homework submissionHand in your homework on 8.5” x 11” sheets of paper. On the top right corner, put down the problem set number and your name. Put your problems in numerical order as assigned. Staple your problem set together. Problem sets will be graded for correctness and clarity. Your work should be neat and orderly. Make large and clearly labeled diagrams. We are not required to guess the intended meaning of poorly written answers, and will not try. A short written explanation should accompany each solution to explain your reasoning. Formulas and numbers alone won’t do.Collaborating on homeworkI encourage you to collaborate with other students in discussing, brainstorming, and thinking through solutions to homework problems. Working together is a valuable and efficient way to identify subject areas in which you are weak. However, no collaboration is allowed in writing up solutions – you must write up your solutions independently. There may be no passing of homework papers between collaborators. Before consulting with others (students, TA, Professor), make sure you have made a genuine effort to solve the problems by yourself – this is really important so you can see where your personal roadblocks are and focus on them. Under no circumstances may you use solution sets to problems that may have been distributed by the course in years past, or the homework papers of students who have taken the course in past years. Violation of these rules will be grounds for receiving no credit on a homework paper and also for serious disciplinary action.
Either and Simmons; Introductory Biomechanics: From Cells to Organisms ; Cambridge University Press, 2007 (Chapters 2 and 9, to be distributed).
Martin, Burr, Sharkey, and Fyhrie; Skeletal Tissue Mechanics ; Springer, 2015.
Boal; Mechanics of the Cell ; Cambridge University Press, 2012.
Cowin; Tissue Mechanics ; Springer, 2007.
Currey, John D; Bones: Structure and Mechanics ; 2002.
Elices; Structural Biological Materials ; Pergamon, 2000.
Fung; Biomechanics: Mechanical Properties of Living Tissue ; Springer, 1993.
McMahon; Structural Materials ; Merion Books, 2004.
Mow and Huiskes; Basic Orthopaedic Biomechanics ; Lippinsott williams and Wilkins, 2005.
Nigg and Herzog; Biomechanics of the Musculoskeletal System ; John Wiley & Sons, 2007.
Reference articles to be distributed.Online ResourcesClass notes and additional readings will be posted on Learn before each lecture.
Collaborating on homework: I encourage you to collaborate with other students in discussing, brainstorming, and thinking through solutions to homework problems. Working together is a valuable and efficient way to identify subject areas in which you are weak. However, no collaboration is allowed in writing up solutions – you must write up your solutions independently. There may be no passing of homework papers between collaborators. Before consulting with others (students, TA, Professor), make sure you have made a genuine effort to solve the problems by yourself – this is really important so you can see where your personal roadblocks are and focus on them. Under no circumstances may you use solution sets to problems that may have been distributed by the course in years past, or the homework papers of students who have taken the course in past years. Violation of these rules will be grounds for receiving no credit on a homework paper and also for serious disciplinary action.Ethics guideline: The strength of the university depends on academic and personal integrity. In this course, you must be honest and truthful. Ethical violations include cheating on exams, plagiarism, reuse of assignments, improper use of the Internet and electronic devices, unauthorized collaboration, alteration of graded assignments, forgery and falsification, lying, facilitating academic dishonesty, and unfair competition. Report any violations you witness to the instructor. You may consult the associate dean of students and/or the chairman of the Ethics Board beforehand.
Domestic fee $1,059.00
International fee $4,875.00
* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.
For further information see Mechanical Engineering .