Programme group – Modelling in Technics and Medicine
| Contracting Authority | Slovenian Research Agency |
| Partner | University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Medicine |
| Duration | 1 January 2018 – 31 December 2023 |
| Total Project Value | ~90,000 € |
| Responsible Person | Assoc. Prof. Robert Kunc |
| Link | https://cris.cobiss.net/ecris/si/sl/project/17005 |
Research Activity:
- 2.11.00 Engineering Sciences and Technologies/Mechanical Design
- 3.08.00 Medical Sciences/Public Health (Occupational Safety)
Keywords:
- material characterisation
- material model
- biomechanics – tissue
- safety
- traffic infrastructure
- information science in traffic
- numerical simulation
- measurement
- acoustic emission
- elastocalorics
- deposition
- hybrid vehicle
Summary:
Programme group (PG) MODELLING IN TECHNICS AND MEDICINE is classified as interdisciplinary. Its basic research fields are: 1. Material characterisation based on the development of material models, 2. Special design knowledge, 3. Biomechanics and 4. Safety and information science in traffic. All fields of PG activity are complementary and generate synergistic and sustainable impacts on the industry, academic research environment and public institutions. In the field of material characterisation, the PG develops models for stress-strain curve and lifetime prediction. Constitutive models of continuum mechanics describe elastic, hyperelastic, superelastic and elasto-plastic deformations of the material, cyclic plasticity and damage mechanics. New methods are being developed for measurement and determination of material parameters. The research is also focused on materials exhibiting the elastocaloric effect. On a global scale, elastocalorics is considered one of the most promising fields of research. In this field, the PG is also active in the development of different heat regenerators and drive mechanisms of elastocaloric devices.
In the field of special design knowledge, the PG together with the industry develops new technologies and equipment for the manufacture of rolls with improved working surface, thus enabling cost-effective and eco-friendly rolling. The PG also performs research and development of plug-in hybrid electric propulsion systems of vehicles the scale and complexity of which is expected to increase in future. The share of the automotive industry in the Slovenian economy is substantial, making this a topical issue.
In the field of biomechanics, the PG focuses on improving the procedures of soft tissue characterisation and studying the muscle response effect on soft tissue injuries in impact conditions. The performed measurements improve the reliability of the collected data and comparability with peer studies. The PG aims to continue development of a detailed FE neck model by including new findings in the characterization of the soft tissue behaviour, muscle response characteristics and dynamic response in man-environment interactions. The development activities include a detailed FE model of the knee joint and numerical modelling of the abdominal wall to assist in laparotomy and patient care.
In the field of safety and information science in traffic, the PG evaluates safety deficiencies of the traffic infrastructure and develops improvements by applying own experience in material characterisation and blast/ballistic protection. For the purpose of safety analyses of the human-vehicle-roadway system, the PG develops interconnectable measurement systems which are fast ready for different sets of measurements. The PG also continues the development of a system for integral management of traffic accident data.