• 056910 - BIOMECHANICS [1]

The Biomechanics Module aims to provide the students with fundamental knowledge about description and interpretation of biomechanical phenomena, with the aim to acquire ability to set and solve simple problems related to biological systems and tissues. Furthermore the course introduces to fundamentals of materials and fluid properties, statics of structures, tissue mechanics and fluid motion.

The Thermodynamics module aims to provide the physical and engineering bases of energy transformation processes, a prerequisite for the design of biomedical devices.

The student:

• can solve simple static of structure problems;
• has knowledge of tissue mechanics (DD1);
• is able to recognize which tissue components influence the tissue behaviour;
• is able to calculate stress and strain in a tissue subjected to external loads (DD2);
• is able to calculate pressures and flows in a hydraulic systems representing biological fluids circulation (DD2,DD3);
• knows the principles of thermodynamics in the various formulations and shows that he has fully understood the logical and mathematical connections among the quantities that appear there.
• is able to describe both qualitatively and in mathematical form the principle of operation of the main components of biomedical devices;
• is able to describe both qualitatively and in mathematical form the basic aspects of heat transfer.
• Is able to calculate the properties of simple substances and mixtures using models of different complexity;is able to analyze thermodynamic systems and processes of medium complexity;

Biomechanics module
1. Biomechanics of solids:
   Vectors, forces, momenta and torque: recall
   Statics: theory
   Application to body articulations
   Structure and composition of tissues
   Mechanical properties of materials: constitutive laws and mechanical tests
   Tissue mechanics: theory
   Applications
2. Biomechanics of fluids:
   Statics
   Viscosity
   Fluid motion
   Flow instability
   Hemodynamics examples and applications
   Blood rheology and microcirculation
   Lymphatics

Thermodynamics Module
1. Basic concepts of thermodynamics
   Systems and control volume
   State and equilibrium
   Energy and energy transfer: work and heat
   The first principle of thermodynamics: internal energy.
   Second principle of thermodynamics: entropy balance
   Energy conversion efficiency
2. Properties of pure substances
   Thermodynamic properties of Ideal gas
   Thermodynamic properties of Ideal liquid and solid
   Mixtures of gas and vapor (athmospheric air)
3. Systems analysis
   Closed systems: energy and entropy balances
   Control volume: mass, energy and entropy
   Bernoulli and Energy equations
4. Mechanism of heat transfer
   Conduction: steady state analysis
   Natural and forces convection: Dimensionless analysis
   Radiation heat transfer
   Heat exchanger

The course requires the knowledge of the mathematical instruments developed in the course of Mathematics. He is also assumed to be acquainted with the Fundamentals of Experimental Physics and Chemistry and Organic Chemistry.

The exam will consist of a written test concerning the whole program (both open theory questions and numerical exercises). The students may take an optional oral exam, for written evaluations starting from 18/30 (maximum change ±3 points).