Department of Mechanical Engineering

Stefan Duma


Stefan Duma


Professor

Mechanical Engineering
443 ICTAS
(540) 231-3945
(540) 231-9100 FAX

sduma@vt.edu


Education Research
Teaching
Experience
Honors
Publications

Education

Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering University of Virginia 2000
M.S. Mechanical Engineering University of Connecticut 1996
B.S. Mechanical Engineering University of Tennessee 1995

 

Research

For more information, please go to the Center for Injury Biomechanics web page or go to the School of Biomedical and Engineering Sciences web page.

As Director of the Center for Injury Biomechanics, my primary research efforts focus on investigating human tolerance to impact loading. The application of this research includes automobile safety, military restraints, and sports biomechanics. The CIB combines experimental testing with automobile test dummies and computational modeling in order to develop human impact injury criteria. As a member of the Center for Biomedical Engineering at Virginia Tech, the laboratory offers an excellent opportunity for undergraduate and graduate student education through a wide variety of biomechanics courses and research experience. Specific research areas are as follows:

Eye Injury Research Program that examines the following eye trauma projects:
  • Airbag Induced Eye Injuries
  • Finite Element Model of the Human Eye
  • Baseball Induced Eye Injuries
  • Eye Injuries from Airbags with Seamless Module Covers
  • Development of a Synthetic Eye
  • Child Dummy Neck Evaluation
  • Airbag Induced Skin Burns and Abrasions
  • Upper Extremity Fractures From Airbags
  • Slip and Fall Lower Extremity Injuries
  • Femur Injuries in Automobile Crashes

 

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Teaching Activities

ME 3614 Mechanical Design I

Design of mechanical components subject to static and fatigue loads. Design using screws, fasteners, springs and bearings. Computer-aided design using transfer matrix and finite element methods. Pre: 3604, ESM-2004, MATH-2216; (3H,3C). II,III.

ME 4754 Impact Biomechanics

Introduction to impact biomechanics. Covers in-depth background of human tolerance to impact loading. Emphasis on the interdisciplinary nature of impact biomechanics. Use of fundamental engineering principles and advanced medical technologies to develop injury prevention measures. Real world examples from automobile safety, military applications, and sport biomechanics. Pre: ESM 2204, ESM 2304 (3H, 3C) I

ME 5754 Advanced Impact Biomechanics

A review of impact biomechanics and critical investigation of the impact response of the human body. Participants will study the dynamic response of the head, neck, chest, abdomen, upper extremities and lower extremities. Real world examples from automobile safety, military applications, and sport biomechanics. Pre: 3504, 3614 or ESM 3054, ESM 3124 (3H, 3C)

ME 6754 Computational Modeling in Impact Biomechanics

Dynamic modeling of the human body subjected to transient impact loading. A combination of finite element analysis and multi-body simulation techniques. Utilizes software packages with dynamic solvers. Applications include computer-aided design for automobile safety, sports biomechanics, and military restraint systems. Pre: 5754 (3H, 3C)

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Experience

Associate Professor Dept. of Mechanical Engineering
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, VA		 Aug. 2003 - Present
Director

 Center for Injury Biomechanics
Virginia Tech - Wake Forest
Aug. 2003 - Present
Assistant Professor Dept. of Mechanical Engineering
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, VA		 Aug. 2000 -
Jul. 2003
Director

 Dept. of Mechanical Engineering
Impact Biomechanics Lab
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, VA
Aug. 2000 -
Jul. 2003

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Honors

  • Young Scientist Award, American Society of Biomechanics, 2005
  • Torgersen Research Award 1rd Place MS Group for Oral Presentation (Faculty Advisor): 2006
  • College of Engineering, Faculty Fellow (2003-2006)
  • Best Student Paper Award, Stapp Car Crash Conference (Facutly Advisor) 2005
  • Best Student Paper Award, First Place (Faculty Advisor) 2006 International Biomedical Sciences Instrumentation Conference.
  • Best Student Presentation Award, First Place (Faculty Advisor) 2006 International Biomedical Sciences Instrumentation Conference.
  • President’s Award (Faculty Advisor) 2006 International Biomedical Sciences Instrumentation Conference.
  • Best Student Poster Award, First Place (Faculty Advisor) 2006 International Biomedical Sciences Instrumentation Conference.
  • Chairman’s Award (Faculty Advisor) 2006 International Biomedical Sciences Instrumentation Conference.
  • Best Student Paper, Third Place (Faculty Advisor) 2006 International Biomedical Sciences Instrumentation Conference.
  • Chair, 3rd Engineering Foundation International Conference on Turbulent Heat Transfer, 2001.
  • Technical Program Chair, 2007 National Heat Transfer Conference.

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Publications

Journal Papers

  • Kemper, A., McNally, C., Kennedy, E., Manoogian, S., Rath, A., Ng, T., Stitzel, J., Smith, E., Duma, S., Matsuoka, F., “Material Properties of Human Rib Cortical Bone from Dynamic Tension Coupon Testing,” Stapp Car Crash Journal Vol 49, 2005

  • Stitzel, J., Gayzik, F., Joth, J., Mercier, j., Gage, D., Morton, K., Duma, S., Payne, R., “Development of a Finite Element-Based Injury Metric for Pulmonary Contusion Part I: Model Development and Validation,” Stapp Car Crash Journal Vol 49, 2005.

  • Stitzel, J., Hansen, G., Herring, I., Duma, S., “Blunt Trauma of the Aging Eye: Injury Mechanisms and Increasing Lens Stiffness,” Archives of Ophthalmology Vol. 123, pp. 789-794, 2005.

  • Duma, S., Ng, T., Stitzel, J., Herring, I., “Determination of Significant Parameters for Eye Injury Risk From Projectiles,” Journal of Trauma 59: 960-964, 2005.

  • Manoogian, S., Stitzel, J., Duma, S., "Predicting Neck Injuries Due to Head Supported Mass," Aviat Space Environ Med 77:509-514, 2006.

  • Duma, S., Moorcroft, D., Stitzel, J., “Restraint Effectiveness for the Pregnant Occupant,” Research on Women’s Transportation Issues, Journal of the Transportation Research Board, Vol 54, pp 1203-1208, 2006.

  • Brolinson, P., Manoogian, S., McNeely, D., Goforth, M., Greenwald R., Duma, S., “Analysis of Linear Head Accelerations from Collegiate Football Impacts,” Current Sports Medicine Reports 5: 23-28, 2006.

  • Rath, A., Manoogian, S., Duma, S., Bolton, B., Crandall, J., “An Evaluation of a Fiber Optic Based Sensor for Measuring Chest and Abdominal Deflection,” Paper Number 2005-01-0745, SAE Transactions: Journal of Passenger Cars, Vol. 113, Section 3, 2005.

Conference Papers

  • Cormier, J., Stitzel, J., Duma, S., Matsuoka, F., “Regional Variation is the Structural Response and Geometrical Properties of Human Ribs,” 49th Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine Conference, Boston, MA, 2005.

  • Stitzel, J., Gayzik, S., Loftis, K., Duma, S.,”Age-related Modeling of Human Rib-cage Geometry,” 33nd International Workshop on Human Subjects for Biomechanical Research, Washington DC, 2005.

  • Kennedy, E., Bonivitch, A., Herring, I., McNally, C., Manoogian, S., Stitzel, J., Duma, S., “Effects of the Extraocular Muscles on the Response of the Human Eye under Static and Dynamic Loading Conditions,” 33nd International Workshop on Human Subjects for Biomechanical Research, Washington DC, 2005.

  • Duma, S., Stitzel, J., Kemper, A., McNally, C., Kennedy, E., Matsuoka, F., “Non-censored Rib Fracture Data From Dynamic Belt Loading Tests on the Human Cadaver Thorax,” Paper Number 05-0360-O, 19th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles, Washington, DC, 2005.

  • Kemper, A., Stitzel, J., Duma, S., Matsuoka, F., Mitsutoshi, M., “Biofidelity of the SID-Iis and a Modified SID-Iis Upper Extremity,“ Paper Number 05-0123-W, 19th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles, Washington, DC, 2005.

  • Duma, S., Moorcroft, D., Stitzel, J., Duma, G., “A Comutational Model of the Pregnant Occupant: Effects of Restraint Usage and Occupant Position on Fetal Injury Risk,” Paper Number 05-0367-O, 19th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles, Washington, DC, 2005.

  • Fildes, B., Linder, A., Douglas, C., Digges, K., Morgan, R., Pintar, F., Yoganandan, N., Gabler, H., Duma, S., Stitzel, J., Bostrom, O., Sparke, L., Smith, S., Newland, C. “Occupant Protection in Far Side Crashes,” Paper Number 05-0299-O, 19th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles, Washington, DC, 2005.

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