This text presents a general introduction to soft tissue biomechanics. One of its primary goals is to introduce basic analytical, experimental and computational methods. In doing so, it enables readers to gain a relatively complete understanding of the biomechanics of the heart and vasculature.

The philosophy of this textbook is that students need a brief but reasonably complete introduction to three essential areas of biomechanical research: theory, experiment, and computation. Moreover there is a need to emphasize the complementary nature of these three, often considered separate, areas. Since it is focussed on the cardiovascular system, this book can go into greater depth in the types of problems that occur in the broader field of soft tissue mechanics and by doing this it provides a good general introduction to soft tissue biomechanics as well as cardiovascular solid mechanics.

1. INTRODUCTION.1.1 Historical Prelude, 1.2 Basic Cell Biology, 1.3 The Extracellular Matrix, 1.4 Soft Tissue Behavior, 1.5 Needs and General Approach, 1.6 Exercises, 1.7 References.2. MATHEMATICAL PRELIMINARIES2.1 A Direct Tensor Notation, 2.2 Cartesian Components, 2.3 Further Results in Tensor Calculus, 2.4 Orthogonal Curvilinear Components, 2.5 Matrix Methods, 2.6 Exercises, 2.7 References3. CONTINUUM MECHANICS3.1 Kinematics, 3.2 Forces, Tractions and Stresses, 3.3 Balance Relations, 3.4 Constitutive Formulations, 3.5 Boundary and Initial Conditions, 3.6 Exercises, 3.7 References4. FINITE ELASTICITY4.1 Introduction, 4.2 Incompressible Isotropic Elasticity, 4.3 Solutions in 3-D Incompressible Elasticity4.4 Compressible Isotropic Elasticity, 4.5 Membrane Hyperelasticity, 4.6 Exercises, 4.7 References5. EXPERIMENTAL METHODS5.1 General Philosophy, 5.2 Measurement of Strain, 5.3 Measurement of Applied Loads, 5.4 Testing Conditions, 5.5 Parameter Estimation and Statistics, 5.6 Exercises, 5.7 References6. Finite Element Methods6.1 Fundamental Equations, 6.2 Interpolation, Integration, and Solvers, 6.3 An Illustrative Formulation, 6.4 Inflation of a Membrane, 6.5 Inverse Finite Elements, 6.6 Exercises, 6.7 ReferencesPART II - VASCULAR MECHANICS7. THE NORMAL ARTERIAL WALL7.1 Structure and Function, 7.2 General Characteristics, 7.3 Constitutive Framework, 7.4 Experimental Methods, 7.5 Specific Constitutive Relations, 7.6 Stress Analyses, 7.7 Exercises, 7.8 References8. VASCULAR DISORDERS8.1 Hypertension, 8.2 Intracranial Aneurysms, 8.3 Atherosclerosis, 8.4 Aortic Aneurysms, 8.5 Additional Topics, 8.6 Exercises, 8.7 References9. VASCULAR ADAPTATION9.1 Mechanical Preliminaries, 9.2 Cellular Responses to Applied Loads, 9.3 Arterial Response to Hypertension, 9.4 Arterial Response to Altered Flow, 9.5 Vessel Response to Injury, 9.6 Veins as Arterial Grafts, 9.7 Aging, 9.8 Exercises, 9.9 ReferencesPART III CARDIAC MECHANICS10. THE NORMAL HEART10.1 Structure and Function, 10.2 General Characteristics, 10.3 Constitutive Framework, 10.4 Constitutive Relations, 10.5 Stress Analyses, 10.6 Exercises, 10.7 References11. EPILOGUEAPPENDICESI. Nomenclature, Abbreviations, and ConversionsII. Results for Curvilinear CoordinatesIII. Material Frame Indifference11. CARDIAC DISORDERS11.1 Ischemia11.2 Volume Overload11.3 Hypertrophy11.4 Cardiac Aneurysms11.5 Additional Topics