376-1712-00L  Finite Element Analysis in Biomedical Engineering

SemesterSpring Semester 2018
LecturersS. J. Ferguson, B. Helgason
Periodicityyearly recurring course
Language of instructionEnglish


AbstractThis course provides an introduction to finite element analysis, with a specific focus on problems and applications from biomedical engineering.
ObjectiveFinite element analysis is a powerful simulation method for the (approximate) solution of boundary value problems. While its traditional roots are in the realm of structural engineering, the methods have found wide use in the biomedical engineering domain for the simulation of the mechanical response of the human body and medical devices. This course provides an introduction to finite element analysis, with a specific focus on problems and applications from biomedical engineering. This domain offers many unique challenges, including multi-scale problems, multi-physics simulation, complex and non-linear material behaviour, rate-dependent response, dynamic processes and fluid-solid interactions. Theories taught are reinforced through practical applications in self-programmed and commercial simulation software, using e.g. MATLAB, ANSYS, FEBIO.
Content(Theory) The Finite Element and Finite Difference methods
Gallerkin, weighted residuals, discretization

(Theory) Mechanical analysis of structures
Trusses, beams, solids and shells, DOFs, hand calculations of simple FE problems, underlying PDEs

(Application) Mechanical analysis of structures
Truss systems, beam systems, 2D solids, meshing, organ level analysis of bones

(Theory and Application) Mechanical analysis of structures
Micro- and multi-scale analysis, voxel models, solver limitations, large scale solvers

(Theory) Non-linear mechanical analysis of structures
Large strain, Newton-Rhapson, plasticity

(Application) Non-linear mechanical analysis of structures
Plasticity (bone), hyperelasticity, viscoelasticity

(Theory and Application) Contact analysis
Friction, bonding, rough contact, implants, bone-cement composites, pushout tests

(Theory) Flow in Porous Media
Potential problems, Terzhagi's consolidation

(Application) Flow in Porous Media
Confined and unconfined compression of cartilage

(Theory) Heat Transfer and Mass Transport
Diffusion, conduction and convection, equivalency of equations

(Application) Heat Transfer and Mass Transport
Sequentially-coupled poroelastic and transport models for solute transport

(Theory) Computational Biofluid Dynamics
Newtonian vs. Non-Newtonian fluid, potential flow

(Application) Computational Biofluid Dynamics
Flow between micro-rough parallel plates
Lecture notesHandouts consisting of (i) lecturers' script, (ii) selected excerpts from relevant textbooks, (iii) selected excerpts from theory manuals of commercial simulation software, (iv) relevant scientific publications.
Prerequisites / NoticeFamiliarity with basic numerical methods.
Programming experience with MATLAB.