Publications

Publications

A Strain Map of the Human Distal Tibia During the Stance Phase of Walking

Researchers have developed a new method for mapping bone strain. They combined real-world data from a cadaver's tibia during simulated walking with a computational model. This approach created a 3D map of bone strain without making assumptions about how the bone was being loaded, providing valuable data for future biomechanical models.

Finite Element Modeling of the Inferior Glenohumeral Ligament Complex

This paper develops a finite element model to study the biomechanics of the shoulder’s inferior glenohumeral ligament. By simulating a cadaveric clinical exam, it quantifies force and strain distribution, highlights the ligament’s sensitivity to material properties, and provides a detailed view of its function as a load-bearing structure.

The Optic Nerve Head as a Biomechanical Structure: Initial Finite Element Modeling

A.J. Bellezza, R. T. Hart, and C. F. Burgoyne

This paper uses FEA, an engineering simulation technique, to model the optic nerve head as a complex biomechanical structure. By simulating how anatomical differences like scleral canal size and wall thickness affect internal forces, the study shows that physical stress on optic nerve tissues is substantial even at normal eye pressures. These findings are a critical first step in understanding how individual anatomy can create mechanical conditions contributing to glaucomatous damage.

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

John C. Gardiner and Jeffrey A. Weiss

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.