Biomechanics

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Biomechanics Faculty

Biomechanics Research

Biomechanics is the application of engineering principles to biological systems. Biological systems are adept at growth, adaptation, resilience, and control, and often perform better than the most advanced computers and machines we can make. Developing our understanding of how humans move and function using mechanical engineering principles allows us to solve major health challenges. At Mines, we investigate the neural, muscular, and skeletal systems across length and time scales, developing state-of-the-art personalized biomechanical models for the whole body and tissues. We quantitatively assess dynamic movement, joint function, neural activity, muscle mechanics, and external human body interactions.

In this research we are preventing injury, characterizing movement adaptation, and improving mobility. Our work applies to improving clinical treatments, advancing industrial settings, personalized medicine, early diagnoses of musculoskeletal disease, predicting injury, enhancing sports performance, developing assistive technology, and more! Graduates of our programs work in medical devices, sports product development, defense health research, accident reconstruction, health technology, neural imaging, and human-robot interaction.

 

Coursework Options

Read below for advice on how to structure your coursework to support a career in biomechanics.

ME CORE Courses

The ME Core courses that best support ME students with an interest in biomechanics are:

  • MEGN 514 Continuum Mechanics. PhD and MS-T students are advised to take the in-person version during the spring semester of their first year.
  • MEGN 505 Advanced Dynamics. PhD and MS-T students are advised to take the in-person version during the fall semester of their second year.
Core ClassesCourse NumberCourse NameCreditsOn-CampusOnline
MEGN 502Advanced Engineering Analysis3Fall/SpringFall
MEGN 505Advanced Dynamics3FallSummer
MEGN 514Continuum Mechanics3SpringFall
MEGN 551Advanced Fluids3FallSpring
MEGN 571Advanced Heat Transfer3SpringFall
ME CORE Courses

The ME Core courses that best support ME students with an interest in biomechanics are:

  • MEGN 514 Continuum Mechanics. PhD and MS-T students are advised to take the in-person version during the spring semester of their first year.
  • MEGN 505 Advanced Dynamics. PhD and MS-T students are advised to take the in-person version during the fall semester of their second year.
Core ClassesCourse NumberCourse NameOn-CampusOnlineCredits
MEGN 502Advanced Engineering AnalysisFall/SpringFall3
MEGN 505Advanced DynamicsFallSummer3
MEGN 514Continuum MechanicsSpringFall3
MEGN 551Advanced FluidsFallSpring3
MEGN 571Advanced Heat TransferSpringFall3
Mechanical Electives

Consider using your ME electives to gain deeper knowledge and experience in ME biomechanics courses. 

Research Focus AreaCourse NumberCourse NameCreditsOn-CampusOnline
BiomechanicsMEGN 530 Musculoskeletal Biomechanics3Spring
MEGN 532Experimental Methods in Biomechanics3Fall
Not offered,
Fall 2025
MEGN 535Modeling and Simulation of
Human Movement
3Spring
MEGN 536Computational Biomechanics3FallSummer
Mechanical Electives

Consider using your ME electives to gain deeper knowledge and experience in ME biomechanics courses.

Research Focus AreaCourse NumberCourse NameOn-CampusOnlineCredits
BiomechanicsMEGN 530 Musculoskeletal BiomechanicsSpring3
MEGN 532Experimental Methods in BiomechanicsFall
Not offered,
Fall 2025
3
MEGN 535Modeling and Simulation of
Human Movement
Spring3
MEGN 536Computational BiomechanicsFallSummer3
Technical Electives

Your technical electives can be any 500-level or above course taught at Mines. No advisor approval is required – these courses are intended for you to personalize your degree to support your own career objectives.

Biomechanics overlaps with a wide range of other disciplines in compelling ways. Some suggested courses are offered, below:

Topic AreaCourse NumberCourse NameCreditsOn-CampusOnline
Materials ScienceMEGN 510Theory of Elasticity3FallSpring
MEGN 511Fatigue and Fracture3FallSpring
MEGN 517Nonlinear Material Behavior3SpringSummer
Not offered,
Summer 2025
MTGN 572Biomaterials3Fall
Robotics and AutomationMEGN 540Mechatronics3Spring
MEGN 544Robot Mechanics: Kinetmatics, Dynamics, and Control3Fall
Operations and EngineeringMEGN 586Linear Optimization3Fall, even years
MEGN 587Nonlinear Optimization3Fall, even years
MEGN 592Risk and Reliability Engineering Analysis and Design3Fall
Finite Element AnalysisFEGN 525Advanced FEA Theory and Practice3Fall, 1st 8 weeks
FEGN 526Static and Dynamic Applications in FEA3Fall, 2nd 8 weeks
FEGN 527Nonlinear Applications in FEA3Spring, 1st 8 weeks
FEGN 528FEA for Advanced Design Applications3Spring, 2nd 8 weeks
BiologyBIOL 500Cell Biology and Biochemistry3Fall
BIOL 501Advanced Biochemistry3Spring
BIOL 510Bioinformatics3Fall
BIOL 520Systems Biology3Spring
Technical Electives

Your technical electives can be any 500-level or above course taught at Mines. No advisor approval is required – these courses are intended for you to personalize your degree to support your own career objectives.

Biomechanics overlaps with a wide range of other disciplines in compelling ways. Some suggested courses are offered, below:

Topic AreaCourse NumberCourse NameOn-CampusOnlineCredits
Materials ScienceMEGN 510Theory of ElasticityFallSpring3
MEGN 511Fatigue and FractureFallSpring3
MEGN 517Nonlinear Material BehaviorSpringSummer3
MTGN 572BiomaterialsFall3
Robotics and AutomationMEGN 540MechatronicsSpring3
MEGN 544Robot Mechanics: Kinetmatics, Dynamics, and ControlFall3
Operations and EngineeringMEGN 586Linear OptimizationFall, even years3
MEGN 587Nonlinear OptimizationFall, even years3
MEGN 592Risk and Reliability Engineering Analysis and DesignFall
Finite Element AnalysisFEGN 525Advanced FEA Theory and PracticeFall, 1st 8 weeks3
FEGN 526Static and Dynamic Applications in FEAFall, 2nd 8 weeks3
FEGN 527Nonlinear Applications in FEASpring, 1st 8 weeks3
FEGN 528FEA for Advanced Design ApplicationsSpring, 2nd 8 weeks3
BiologyBIOL 500Cell Biology and BiochemistryFall3
BIOL 501Advanced BiochemistrySpring3
BIOL 510BioinformaticsFall3
BIOL 520Systems BiologySpring3

Biomechanics Faculty

Katie Knaus

Katie Knaus

Contact
Research Group: MyoEngineering Lab​

  • Multiscale mechanical interactions of muscle and tendon
  • Finite element modeling of 3D muscle and connective tissue structures
  • Relationships between mobility performance and musculoskeletal properties that vary with age, sex, exercise, and injury

Anthony Petrella

Contact
Associate Professor and Department Head
Research Group:  Computational Biomechanics Group

  • Computational biomechanics
  • Experimental study of the musculoskeletal system, specifically spine, hip and knee mechanics
  • Application of advanced nonlinear finite element analysis methods along with subject-specific anatomy and statistical techniques to simulate spinal function
  • Director: FEA Pro Interdisciplinary Graduate Program
A picture of professor Anne Silverman

Anne Silverman

Contact
Research Group:
 Functional Biomechanics Laboratory

  • Muscular compensations resulting from the use of prosthetic and assistive devices
  • Balance regulation during dynamic tasks
  • Musculoskeletal modeling analyses to predict optimal treatment interventions
  • Relationships between whole-body movement and the development of long-term secondary conditions

Labs and Capabilities

Computational Biomechanics

The Computational Biomechanics Group (CBG) applies biomechanical simulation to improve the quality of life for patients who suffer from musculoskeletal conditions. Areas of emphasis include spine, knee, and hip mechanics in both amputee and non-amputee populations. CBG research aims to improve the ability to predict musculoskeletal function in meaningful activities of daily living for both (1) individual patients (subject-specific) and (2) realistic patient populations (probabilistic modeling).

CBG researchers employ a broad range of parametric modeling techniques and statistical methods to better quantify the normal variations in anatomical shape, tissue properties, and surgical parameters that affect clinical results. The goal is to improve long-term outcomes and decrease the incidence of revision surgery following orthopaedic procedures.

Contact: Dr. Anthony Petrella (apetrell@mines.edu)
Website: cbg.mines.edu

Functional Biomechanics Laboratory

Researchers in the Functional Biomechanics Lab investigate whole-body biomechanics with experimental and computational approaches. We use gait analysis techniques including motion capture, ground reaction force measurement and electromyography to quantify walking mechanics. We combine these efforts with detailed musculoskeletal models to generate movement simulations. Through these methods, we can determine the biomechanical effects of physical therapy, surgical and device interventions and optimize interventions for individual patients.

  • 7-camera Qualisys Oqus 300+ Motion Capture System, 1.3MP, 500Hz frame rate at full resolution
  • 4 AMTI OR6-7 Force Plates
  • 16-channel Delsys Trigno wireless surface electromyography system including tri-axial accelerometers and two foot switch sensors

Contact: Dr. Anne Silverman (asilverm@mines.edu)
Website: fbl.mines.edu

MYOENGINEERING LAB

Researchers in the MyoEngineering Lab use engineering principles to explain fundamental biomechanics of multiscale muscle design needed to solve problems that will improve human mobility, health, and performance. We apply our mechanical engineering expertise to myology, the study of muscle structure-function. We create detailed computer simulations of complex muscle structures, which we inform and test with innovative experimental measurements of human biomechanics and physiology. We aim to understand muscle design at different scales, from muscle-tendon unit design that determines muscle function as complex biological machines to muscle and connective tissue design that determines muscle function as dynamic material. Our goal is to discover how differences in muscle design related to exercise, injury, sex, and age influences mobility performance.

Contact: Dr. Katie Knaus

Website: MyoEngineering Lab

 

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