436-388 Introduction to Biomechanics

Students will be expected to be familiar with material covered in 436-121 Introduction to Mechanical Engineering (prior to 2005 436-101 Engineering Mechanics and Materials) and 431-202 Engineering Analysis B or equivalent

This subject provides an introduction to modelling of the human body at the macroscopic level. On completion of this subject students should understand principles of the two-dimensional mechanics of a rigid body; be able to carry out dynamic analysis of planar mechanical systems and apply these concepts to carry out analysis on the Biomechanics of Jumping/Hopping, Biomechanics of walking/running and animal locomotion. Students should then be able to mathematically model, joint mechanics, kinematics and dynamics of human gait analysis. Where possible, modelling will be related to understanding the origin of gait defects and planning corrective prosthetic or surgical interventions. Topics covered include dynamics of a particle in terms of inertial frames (work, kinetic energy, power, equations of motion), plane dynamics of a rigid body (kinetic energy, moments of inertia, equations of motion), dynamics of plane mechanisms (constraints, mobility, degrees of freedom, equations of motion), mechanical vibrations of one-degree-of-freedom linear systems (modelling, free vibrations, forced vibrations), Interchange of Kinetic and Potential Energy During Movement, VO2 consumption during walking and running, Efficiency of Movement, Positive/Negative Work: Concentric/Eccentric Contractions, Joint Reaction Forces, Joint Power.

• ability to apply knowledge of basic science and engineering fundamentals

• in-depth technical competence in at least one engineering discipline

• ability to undertake problem identification, formulation and solution

• expectation of the need to undertake lifelong learning, capacity to do so

• capacity for independent critical thought, rational inquiry and self-directed learning.

One 3-hour end of semester written examination (80%), together with one assignment not exceeding 2000 words (20%).