Biomechanical Aspects of Soft Tissues

Biomechanics applies the laws and techniques of mechanics in the study of biological systems and related phenomena. Biomechanics uses mathematical and computational tools such as model construction of musclo-skeletal system, body fluid circulation, to aid medical diagnosis, therapeutics and surgery planning, designing of prostheses and implants or in tissue engineering. Present book targets specific topics pertaining to the biomechanics of soft tissues. Subjects addressed includes solids and multi-species mixtures as open systems: a continuum mechanics perspective; electro-chemo-mechanical couplings: tissues with a fixed electric charge and growth of biological tissues.

Benjamin Loret is professor of mechanics and civil engineering at the University of Grenoble, France. His research addresses the constitutive responses of engineering and biological materials to static and dynamic loadings. He has especially focused on the couplings of thermal, hydraulical, electrical, chemical and mechanical natures that are ubiquitous in fluid saturated porous media. Applications target innovative energy production systems and biomechanics of soft tissues.

Fernando. M.F. Simões was born on July 23rd, 1964, in Lisboa, Portugal. He has received is Ph.D. degree in civil engineering from the Instituto Superior Técnico of the Technical University of Lisboa, Portugal, in 1997. Presently, he is Assistant Professor at the Department of Civil Engineering, Architecture and GeoResources (University of Lisbon). His research interests include structural mechanics and biomechanics.