Modified: September 04, 2007

Mechanics of Biological Materials
Objectives:
  • Define:
    • Mechanical Stress
    • Strain
    • Tension (tensile strain and tensile stress)
    • Compression (compressive strain and compressive stress)
    • Shear (shear strain and shear stress)
    • Elastic modulus (Young's Modulus)
    • The various descriptors of mechanical strength: yield, ultimate, and failure strength
    • Stiff, ductile, brittle, and pliant
    • Toughness
  • Identify and describe bending and torsion loads
  • Describe:
    • The stress patterns that develop under a bending load
    • The general stress-strain relationship for an elastic material
    • Elastic and plastic behavior
  • Understand the material properties of bone, tendon and ligament, and muscle


Slides used to discuss bone mechanics.

Slides used to discuss musculotendon mechanics.

Slides used to discuss electromyography.