Mechanical properties of biological and bioinspired materials

Duration

26h Th, 22h Pr, 4h Labo.

Number of credits

Lecturer

Davide Ruffoni

Language(s) of instruction

English language

Organisation and examination

Teaching in the first semester, review in January

Schedule

Schedule online

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents

This is an interdisciplinary course for graduate students interested in the study of biological and bio-inspired materials. Biological materials (i.e., materials that originate from living organisms such as bone, wood, spider silk) are often structured in a sophisticated hierarchical way over many length scales and they exhibit outstanding mechanical properties which are much higher than the attributes of the individual constituents. How is that possible? The main purpose of the course is to answer this question by discussing and interpreting selected examples of biological materials, including mineralized (e.g. bone and bird's beak) and non-mineralized (e.g., wood and spider silk) structures. After a general introduction on the strength of materials, the amazing relationship between structure, property and function will be the central theme of the course. Furthermore, the translation of bio-inspired design strategies into the technical world will be discussed, focusing on the manufacturing of bio-inspired materials with improved mechanical efficiency and multiple functionalities. 

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

The main aim of the course is to educate the students to the many design strategies adopted by nature to build load-bearing materials and to suggest how such strategies should be mimicked to design novel bio-inspired heterogeneous materials with unprecedented properties. The students will become familiar with the basic building blocks and construction principles of biological materials thanks to a combination of lectures, dedicated group projects and experimental sessions with 3D printing. By performing the group projects and preparing the oral presentation, the students will also train their soft skills. 

This course contributes to the learning outcomes I.1, I.2, II.1, II.2, II.3, III.1, III.2, IV.1, IV.2, VI.1, VI.2, VI.3, VII.2, VII.3, VII.4, VII.5 of the MSc in biomedical engineering.


This course contributes to the learning outcomes I.1, I.2, II.1, II.2, II.3, III.1, III.2, III.2, IV.1, IV.2, VI.1, VI.2, VI.3, VII.2, VII.3, VII.4, VII.5 of the MSc in engineering physics.

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

Classical mechanics and chemistry at the first year university level

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

The course is organized in lectures covering: strength of materials, biological materials, bio-inspired materials and group projects (during the exercise sessions, students will work in small groups to solve specific assignments)

Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)

Face-to-face

Recommended or required readings

Detailed slides, articles and book chapters will be made available to the students.

• Delivery of the 3 assignments is mandatory to access the oral examination.
• Oral presentation: Students (in small groups of 2-3 persons) will prepare an oral presentation (10 minutes + 5 minutes discussion) of a biological or bio-inspired material.
• Oral examination.

Work placement(s)

Organisational remarks and main changes to the course

see CELCAT

Contacts

Davide Ruffoni
druffoni@ulg.ac.be
+32 43669359

Association of one or more MOOCs

There is no MOOC associated with this course.