EBM’s 6th Harmonization Workshop: Mechanical Testing
On July 4, Prof. Silvia Budday and her team hosted an EBM Harmonization Workshop focused on the mechanical testing of brain tissue. Participants learned how constitutive models can be used to develop simulation models that can help with surgical planning and the development of protective equipment.
After a brief introduction to the basics of continuum mechanics, participants had the opportunity to experience the stiffness of brain tissue firsthand by cutting cylindrical samples from pig brains. Does gray matter or white matter feel stiffer? Participants explored our current understanding of the mechanical behavior of the brain, including aspects such as time dependence, preconditioning, and location dependence.
Next, we moved to the lab for another hands-on session. Here, participants learned how to handle tissue samples as they were tested under tension, compression, and torsional shear in the rheometer, under indentation in the nanoindenter, and using the magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) setup. Lively discussions provided valuable input and ideas for future research challenges.
Jan Hinrichsen, A01
