This book contains the edited version of invited lectures presented at the IUTAM Symposium on Synthesis in Bio Solid Mechanics held in Copenhagen, Denmark, 24-27 May, 1998. The Symposium was attended by 48 scientists in mechanics, mathematics and medicine from 14 countries. The fields of interest range over experimental issues, models of bone remodelling, micromechanics of bone, analogies between optimal design models and bone remodelling, to mathematical issues of the various models seen in this exciting area.
Biomechanics has been a very active research area in the last 25 years and covers a very broad class of problems. The present book concentrates on the solid mechanics domain of biomechanics, where important problems of synthesis are presently an active and challenging part.
Characteristics of biomechanical materials are not only their inhomogeneity and anisotropy, but also their capability to change in relation to actual use. These living materials call for new methods of analysis and also new methods for synthesis. By synthesis in this context is meant design of implants or artificial control of material growth.
Bone mechanics is closely related to recent work on analysis and design of microstructural anistropic materials. Also, recent work in shape design can to some extent be useful in the more complicated problems of biomechanics. Here interface problems play an essential role. This volume will be of interest to researchers in the field of (bio)mechanics and (bio)materials.