Combined mechanical response of advanced porous materials for body support interfaces

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Project Description Interface materials between the body and external supports play a consequential role in determining the mechanical loading that the body will experience. Intensive and prolonged mechanical loading (pressure, shear) at body interfaces can cause soft tissue damage and chronic wounds, i.e. pressure ulcers, which can affect quality of life for many patients in the general field of prosthetics and orthotics (P&O), including prosthetic socket interfaces and special seating for wheelchair users. Typically, soft elastomer foams are used as cushioning interface materials to help distribute loading and reduce the levels of pressure and shear that can lead to damage and injury. This project will focus on mechanically characterising porous materials under combined pressure and shear loading to determine the effect of complex combined loading on mechanical response, and thus load transfer to soft tissue in the body. Additive manufacturing (a.k.a. 3D printing) techniques will be used to manufacture porous elastomer materials with controlled pore geometry in order to assess the effects on combined mechanical properties and inform the design of better interface materials that can help to prevent tissue damage and injuries.