Development of Computational Approaches in Biomechanics

Abstract

Studies involving applications of mechanics in the biological systems to understand different physiological processes date back to ancient times. The development of the subject gained momentum in the medieval and renaissance periods by different stalwarts in the field of science, like Galileo, da Vinci, von Helmholtz, to name a few. However, it is not very long ago that the computational approach was recognized and accepted as the potentially important avenue for exploring biomechanical phenomena. However, as the computers became more and more powerful, it was possible for the scientists and engineers to simulate more complex phenomena having complex three-dimensional geometries, dynamically changing loading conditions, and interaction between multiple phases, including fluid-solid interactions. This chapter gives a detailed description of the evolution of different computational approaches in the field of biomechanics, along with their comparative benefits and shortcomings from a historical perspective with future directions in the research.