MME - Research Areas - Trauma Mechanics Groups

Trauma Mechanics Groups


BioMechanics and Materials Laboratory (BMML)
Photo of BMML Team
The research at Biomechanics and materials laboratory at university of Nebraska Lincoln mainly focuses on basic understanding of mechanisms of TBI at various length and time scales using computations and experiments. Unique in house shock tube testing facility along with high fidelity simulations enabled us to investigate and understand wide variety of issues associated with TBI. Laboratory also collaborates with clinicians, biologist and surgeons across the country.

Blast Simulation Laboratory
Photo of Blast Simulation Team
The research in the Blast Simulation Laboratory at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln mainly focuses on the simulation and measurement of blast waves. In the trauma mechanics research initiative, the blast simulation laboratory focuses on the engineering of the shock tube. This device is the primary means of testing the mechanics of improvised explosive devices (IEDs), the first step for assessing how damage occurs and ways to mitigate it.

Blast Cellular Mechanics
Photo of Cell Mechanics Team
Blast Cellular Mechanics focuses on identifying the mechanical properties of neuronal brain cells, especially in blast loading conditions. This research is being done in two directions: using Raman Spectroscopy to analyze the mechanical behaviors of cells after stretching; and using a Kolsky bar set-up to perform controlled pressure bursts then analyzing cell deformation.

Biology and Mechanics of Neurons
Photo of Biology and Mechanics of Neurons Team
The main goal of the Biology and Mechanics of Neurons research group is to develop an in-vitro platform for the simulation of a broad range of conditions that affect brain tissue when subjected to a traumatic brain injury (TBI). The first stage of the project is to evaluate the cells' response to different levels of injury defined by strain and strain rate and to test the temporal evolution of the damage on a cellular level.

Applied Mechanisms and Design Research Laboratory
Photo of AMDRL Team
The Applied Mechanisms and Design Research Laboratory's (AMDRL) primary contribution to the Trauma Mechanics Research Initiative is its work on the RED Head, or the realistic explosive dummy head. This group uses material modeling and analysis to find artificial materials for simulating human head. Instrumentation of the head model will be used to record and analyze blast responses. This data can then validated by a developed mathematical model.