The Mechanics of Biological Materials

by Manuel Elices, Gustavo Guinea, John Morton

Overview

This book introduces the mechanical principles governing the behaviour of a wide range of biological materials, which are materials produced by a biological system. The approach is systematic and based on one-dimensional (fibres), two-dimensional (membrane), and three-dimensional (bulk) biological materials. The essential mathematical tools are developed from first principles and applied to materials as diverse as spider silk, blood vessels, and bone. It offers a progressive introduction of mathematics and mechanics concepts and offers detailed solutions to numerous worked examples.

• Provides an essential gateway to access complex treatises in the important and demanding models governing the observed behaviour of biological materials
• Teaches readers to exploit the wondrous properties found in nature in the development of biomimetic applications
• Offers a progressive introduction of mathematics and mechanics concepts
• Includes detailed solutions to numerous worked examples, case studies, and homework problems

The text is aimed at students of chemistry, materials engineering, and biology, who do not have a background in mechanics but wish to further their knowledge of the mechanics of biological materials.

A solutions manual is available to qualifying adopting professors.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781032892771
Publisher:	CRC Press
Publication date:	07/25/2025
Pages:	386
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 10.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Manuel Elices is a Foreign Member of the National Academy of Engineering, USA, Member of the Royal Spanish Academy of Sciences, Member of the Royal Spanish Academy of Engineering, and Emeritus Professor of Materials Science at the Polytechnical University of Madrid, Spain.

Gustavo Guinea is a Corresponding Member of the Royal Spanish Academy of Sciences, Professor of Materials Science, former Director of the Centre for Biomedical Technology at the Polytechnic University of Madrid, Spain, and Head of the Laboratory for Biomaterials and Regenerative Engineering at this Centre.

John Morton is a Fellow in Engineering Science at University College Oxford, UK.

Table of Contents

0. Front Matter. Section I: Fibres. Materials Practically Unidimensional. 1. Biological Fibres. General Concepts. 2. Mechanical Behaviour of Fibres. 3. Examples Section. Section II. Membranes. Materials Practically Two Dimensional. 4. Biological Membranes. General Concepts. 5. Mechanical Properties. 6. Examples Section. Section III. Bulk Materials. Three dimensions need to be considered. 7. Biological Bulk Materials. General Concepts. 8. Mechanical Properties. 9. Examples. End Matter I. References. End Matter II. Index.