Principles of Biomechanics

This textbook is meant for students of multiple disciplines like biomedical engineering, physical education and rehabilitation engineering. It encapsulates the author’s 13 years of experience in teaching the subject to students of interdisciplinary studies of biomedical engineering. The book includes the basic mechanics of statics and dynamics to help students of other disciplines who join biomedical engineering at the postgraduate level. What makes the book truly interdisciplinary is the substantial information related to biology, for example, hard and soft tissue characteristics and their replacement materials. Basics of fluid mechanics and their application in cardiovascular and respiratory systems are explained without using medical jargon to make them comprehensible to engineering students. A glossary of biomechanics is also included at the end of the book for easy reference of key terms. This book is written to make the subject interesting and therefore avoids excessive use of high-level mathematics. The varied and extensive examples and exercises illustrate the principles clearly. Textbook of Biomechanics will be suitable for first-time learners both at the undergraduate and postgraduate level.

Table of Contents:
Basic Concepts: Introduction • Scalars and vectors • Units, dimensions and conversions • Conversion of units • Statics and Joint Mechanics: Introduction • Force types • Resolution and composition of forces • Resultant of forces • Moments of force and couple • Vector method for resultant force determination • Parallel forces in space • Equilibrium of coplanar forces • Human joint forces • Mechanics of the elbow • Mechanics of the shoulder • Mechanics of the hip • Mechanics of the knee • Mechanics of the ankle joint • Exercises and examples • Dynamics : Introduction • Human body links and data • Basic principles-liners motion • Angular motion in a plane • Newton’s laws of motion • Impulse and momentum • Work and energy • Exercise and examples • Mechanics of Solids: Introduction • Stress • Axial load and normal stress • Stress-strain diagram • Torsion • Pure bending of beam • Moment of inertia of an area • Stress concentration • Geometrical properties of human bone • Exercise and examples • Tissue Mechanics: Introduction • Mechanical properties • Biological materials • Bone as composite material • Adaptation of bone stress and strain • Properties of cortical bone • Properties of cancellous bone • Teeth and its properties • Viscoelasticity • Dynamic behaviour • Viscoelastic model • Soft tissue mechanics • Soft tissue properties: contribution of collagen, elastin and mucopolysaccharide • Mechanical testing of soft tissues • Biofluid Mechanics: Introduction • Viscosity and viscometry • Capillary viscometry • Coaxial cylinder viscometry • Cone and plate viscometer • Blood • Models of the peripheral circulation • Coagulation • Blood rheology and its clinical application • Red cell size and shape • Cell membrane • Osmotic swelling • Area dilatation • Shear of membrane • Synovial fluid • Cardiovascular and Respiratory Mechanics: Introduction • The heart • Layers of the heart wall • Chambers of the heart • Heart valves • Blood supply to the myocardium • Conduction system • Heart sounds • Heart rate • Cardiac cycle • Electrical activity of heart: ECG • Cardiac output • Diseases of the cardiovascular system • Artificial heart valve • Design of valves • Biological valves • Structural deterioration of biological valves • Choice of valves • Respiratory mechanics • Lung Rc • Equations • Static lung mechanics • Mechanics of breathing • Demonstration/flow volume curves • Characteristics of respiration • Determination of lung compliance by the pressure -volume curve • Surface tension • Elastic properties of the lung • Surface tension and surfactant • Surfactant keeps lungs dry • Intrapleural pressures and compliance vertically down the lung • Distribution of ventilation in the upright lung • Intrapleural pressures and compliance vertically down the lung • Effects of forced or gentle expiration to RV • Human Locomotion: Introduction • Gait analysis • Events of gait • Variables measured during gait analysis • Motion analysis • Energy consideration • Muscle function • Force data • Prediction of segment moments of inertia • Measurement devices • Kinematics • Instrumented walkway • Other methods of analysis • Energetics • Muscle parameters • EMG data transmission • Quantification of EMG signal • Applications • Surgical decision making • Foot pressure pedobarograph