BIOMECHANICAL ASPECTS OF SOFT TISSUES

1.Biomechanical topics in soft tissues.
2. I Solids and multi-species mixtures as open systems :a continuum mechanics perspective.
3. Elements of continuum mechanics.
4. Thermodynamic properties of fluids.
5. Multi-species mixtures as thermodynamically open systems.
6. Anisotropic and conewise elasticity.
7. Hyperelasticity, a purely mechanical point of view
8. Poroelasticity with a single porosity.
9. Viscoelasticity and poro-viscoelasticity.
10. Thermoelasticity and thermo-poroelasticity.
11. Transfers of mass, momentum and energy.
12. Waves in thermoelastic solids and saturated porous media.
13. II Electro-chemomechanical couplings in tissues with a fixed electrical charge.
14. Directional averaging for fiber-reinforced tissues.
15. Electro-chemomechanical couplings.
16. Chemomechanical couplings in articular cartilages.
17. Passive transport in the interstitium and circulation.
18. Coupled transports in tissues with a fixed electrical charge.
19. Effects of the pH on transport and mechanics.
20. Finite element analysis of ECM couplings.
21. Cornea and annulus fibrosus.
22. III Growth of biological tissues.
23. Tissue Engineering.
24. Growth of soft tissues.
25. Elastic-growing solids.
26. Elastic-growing mixtures.
27. Solid tumors.
28. Units and physical constants.
29. Bibliography.
30. Index.

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.

Features
• Unified presentation of soft tissues as fluid saturated porous media, including several immiscible fluids, encompassing, but including, the standard single phase solid analysis and its anisotropic and nonlinear features
• Constitutive modeling of mechanical responses of tissues embedding the structural components
• Inclusion of tissue membranes in the constitutive modeling, controlling transfer of biological components
• Encompasses structural, biochemical, electrical and mechanical properties of three tissues with fixed charges (articular cartilages, corneal stroma, intervertebral disc)
• Condenses different concepts, methodologies and puts forward new approaches for handling the topic in an integrated and exhaustive fashion

Authors
• 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.