Biomechanical

Publications

Subject-Specific FEA of the Human Medial Collateral Ligament During Valgus Knee Loading

This paper develops detailed, patient-specific models of the knee's medial collateral ligament (MCL) under valgus loading. It shows that including each ligament’s initial tension is more critical than material properties for accuracy and identifies regions most susceptible to injury by mapping stress and strain fields precisely.

Measurements of Soft-Tissue Mechanical Properties

Cynthia Bruyns and Mark Ottensmeyer

This research paper describes a method for precisely measuring the mechanical properties of soft tissues from rat organs like the liver and kidney. These real-world biomechanical measurements are then used to build more physically accurate virtual models for surgical training simulations. The goal is to advance beyond simple, visually-driven models to simulations where virtual tissues deform based on their actual constitutive properties.

Quantification of 3D Left Ventricular Deformation using Hyperelastic Warping

A.I. Veress, J.A. Weiss, G.J. Klein, G.T. Gullberg

This paper validates Hyperelastic Warping, a computational technique that measures left-ventricle strain from MRI and PET by deforming a finite element heart model. It accurately calculates myocardial stretching without invasive markers, providing a non-invasive tool to assess ventricular mechanics and improve understanding of cardiac function.

Effects of Bone Cement Volume and Distribution on Vertebral Stiffness After Vertebroplasty

This paper uses sophisticated finite element analysis to study the biomechanics of vertebroplasty, a procedure for repairing spinal fractures with bone cement. The computer simulations show that only a small amount of cement (~15% of the vertebra's volume) is needed to restore the bone's original stiffness. Using more cement can make the vertebra much stiffer than its original state and, if placed asymmetrically, can lead to unstable "toggling" motions under load.

A Computer Model of Normal Conduction in the Human Atria

David M. Harrild, Craig S. Henriquez

This research details the creation of an advanced computer model of the human atria that simulates the biomechanics of its electrical activation. By incorporating realistic anatomy and the anisotropic electrical conductivity of different muscle bundles, the model accurately reproduces the complex patterns of normal heart rhythm. This powerful simulation tool helps explain how the physical structure of the atria governs its electrical function and provides a new platform for studying arrhythmias.