Mechanics of biomaterials

Understanding mechanical properties and performance of various biological materials and tissues and their responses to different loading and environmental conditions is becoming increasingly important for development of new medical procedures and devices. Such materials, in contrast to traditional structural materials, demonstrate complex hierarchical microstructures formed by constituents with rather non-trivial mechanical behaviours. Additionally, they are characterised by a high extent of variability in their microstructure and properties affected by many factors, including age, health state, nutrition, exercise etc. All these features presuppose development of new experimental, analytical and numerical approaches to assess and predict deformation, damage and fracture behaviour of biological materials and their main constituents. The project will be based on a combination of experimental and numerical techniques (to accommodate expertise and skills of a candidate in the best possible way) focused on characterisation and quantification of interaction between microstructure and mechanical properties and performance of biological materials at various length and time scales. Among potential characterisation and testing techniques are nano- and micro-indentation, X-ray micro computed tomography, DMA and microscopy as well as different loading schemes (including creep, relaxation and/or dynamic loading). Numerical analysis will be based on multi-scale schemes employing finite elements, smooth particle hydrodynamics etc. and can include development of special elements, subroutines or codes.

The successful candidate(s) will join Mechanics of Advanced Materials Research Group and will participate in international research collaboration with partners in Ireland, Switzerland, USA and Australia (with potential secondments to them with duration of up to 6 or 12 months).

Entry requirements
Applicants should have, or expect to achieve, at least a 2:1 Honours degree (or equivalent) in Mechanical Engineering, Continuum Mechanics, Computer Science, Materials Science, Physics or a related subject.

A relevant Master’s degree and/or experience in one or more of the following will be an advantage: Mechanical Engineering, Continuum Mechanics, Computer Science, Materials Science, Biomedical Engineering, Computational Biology