Research Interests – mechanical design in organisms
Biomechanics is the application of engineering principles to an understanding of the relationship between form and function in plants and animals. I am particularly interested in the agronomic and ecological aspects of plant biomechanics, the mechanical behaviour of the equine hoof wall and porcine long bones and the biomechanics of plant-animal interactions. To find out more click on the following links:
Plants
Mechanical design: scrambling-ascending growth habits
The effects of mechanical stress on plant growth
Anchorage mechanics
Fibre crops
Woody tissues and taxonomy
Animals
Mechanical design of birds’ nests – see ‘Nests inside out‘ for a popular science review.
- Birds use structural properties when selecting materials for different parts of their nests
- Composition of bird nests is a species-specific characteristic
- Construction patterns of birds’ nests provide insight into nest-building behaviours.
- Morphology and biomechanics of the nests of the Common Blackbird Turdus merula
Bone mechanics
- Regional variation in the mechanical properties of the porcine femur
- Regional variation in the microhardness of porcine long bones
Keratin mechanics