Awarded in 2013
Home Department: Mechanical Engineering
Faculty Advisors: Drew Nelson (Mechanical Engineering), Jason T. Lee (Vascular & Endovascular Surgery), and Staff Scientist Chris Tassone (SLAC)

Research Title: A novel approach for studying the mechanical behavior of atherosclerotic plaque

Research Description: Residual stresses and strains (RSS) play an important role in vascular mechanics. RSS exist without forces being applied. They can develop, for example, from growth and remodeling. The method used for deter-mining RSS in arteries was developed in the 1980s but is now known to have very serious deficiencies. This research represents an opportunity to adapt modern approaches developed in mechanical engineering to improve the measurement of RSS in arteries. Three new approaches will be investigated. The approaches should provide much more accurate data for use in interpreting experiments and as input to computa-tional models. The approaches should also be applicable to other biological structures and offer a significant new capability for researchers.

WHERE IS HE NOW?

Herbert is working at Johnson Space Center (NASA) as a Structural Dynamics Subject Matter Expert.