Human Body Biomechanics

Code:

L.BIO027

Acronym:

BCHU

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Biomedical Engineering

Instance: 2024/2025 - 2S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Environment and Bioengineering Section
Course/CS Responsible:	Bachelor in Bioengineering

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
L.BIO	36	Syllabus	3	-	6	52	162

Teaching language

Suitable for English-speaking students

Objectives

The identified syllabus are the necessary theoretical support for the careful and efficient biomechanical analysis of tissues and organs when subjected to mechanical loads, allowing the student to have a thorough understanding of mechanics approaches.
The concepts and methodologies presented are the basis to analyze some effects of mechanical character on living organisms including a perception based on purely biological systems as well as an evaluation of the results of the implementation of certain devices (implants, orthotics, etc.).

Learning outcomes and competences

The curricular unit Human Body Biomechanics aims to provide students with knowledge in the area of mechanics to be applied in living systems with special emphasis on the mechanics of materials and mechanics of rigid bodies.

To give and develop an interest in Human Body Biomechanics, trying to study and investigate the action, in mechanical terms, of different organs and biological tissues presented in nature.

It is expected that at the end of the semester, the students have acquired knowledge to use tools in order to build mathematical models representing mechanical modeling of systems associated with different living organisms and also to study the human locomotion, the equilibrium and how living tissues deal with load.

Working method

Presencial

Pre-requirements (prior knowledge) and co-requirements (common knowledge)

Basic knowledge of vector algebra and mechanics of continuous media or solid mechanics.

Program

Introduction to Biomechanics (concept of center of mass, inertia tensor, forces and moments).
Introduction to the Theory of Elasticity: characterization of the state of stress and strain, stress-strain relations.
Biomechanics of joints: anatomic considerations; kinematics.
Applied Biomechanics: muscle models, static equilibrium and motion analysis.
Tissue biomechanics and the musculoskeletal system: concepts and terminology; bone tissue; articular cartilage, tendons, ligaments and muscles.
Brief approaches to numerical and experimental biomechanics. Study of the human equilibrium and locomotion.

Mandatory literature

Petres; Biomechanics: Fundamentals and Applications
Ronald L. Huston; Principles of biomechanics. ISBN: 978-0-8493-3494-8
Duane Knudson; Fundamentals of biomechanics. ISBN: 978-0-387-49311-4
António Completo, Fernando Fonseca; " Fundamentos de Biomecânica" , PUBLINDUSTRIA, 2011. ISBN: 9789728953706
Cees Oomens, Marcel Brekelmans, Frank Baaijens; Biomechanics. Concepts and Computation, Cambridge University Press, 2009
Y. C. Fung; Biomechanics. ISBN: 0-387-97124-6
Peter Merton McGinnis; Biomechanics of Sport and Exercise, Human Kinetics, 2005. ISBN: 0736051015

Complementary Bibliography

Roger Bartlett; Introduction to sports biomechanics. ISBN: 978-0-415-33994-0

Teaching methods and learning activities

The curricular unit is divided into three hours weekly theoretical-practical classes and one weekly hour of theoretical class.
In the theoretical class proceeds to the exposure of matter while the theoretical-practical classes are used to perform simple exercises involving the exposed concepts.

keywords

Health sciences > Medical sciences > Medicine > Human anatomy
Physical sciences > Physics > Biophysics > Biomechanics
Technological sciences > Engineering > Biomedical enginnering

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Exame	75,00
Trabalho prático ou de projeto	25,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	90,00
Frequência das aulas	45,00
Trabalho escrito	30,00
Trabalho laboratorial	0,00
Total:	165,00

Eligibility for exams

Terms of frequency: According to current FEUP regulations.

Calculation formula of final grade

The final classification grade (NF) is assigned considering the grade obtained in the exam (NE) and the grade obtained in the reports (NR) using the following formula:

NF=NE*0.75+NR*0.25

Minimum grade of 8 in NE

Approval for NF>=10 out of 20

Examinations or Special Assignments

It is not foreseen.

Internship work/project

It is not foreseen.

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

According to current FEUP regulations.

Classification improvement

Under appeal examination.

Observations