Adil Al-Mayah is a Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and cross-appointed to the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering. He has a unique blend of work experience in both the engineering and medical fields, resulting in the licensing of ground-breaking innovations in both areas. Professor Al-Mayah’s expertise spans from materials, mechanics and structural applications to biomechanics, imaging and medical physics.

His research in materials is centered on the integration of imaging and mechanics approach for material characterization that merges imaging, mechanics and numerical modeling. This innovative approach shifts the mechanical characterization of materials from the conventional “overall” performance to a “components-based” evaluation. It also transfers conventional visual image inspection to a detailed image-based mechanical analysis with stress distribution, and deformation to identify failure initiation and to assess the role of each component on the load carrying capacity.

In composite materials mechanics and structural applications, a comprehensive research program on the interfacial mechanics of fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) has resulted in the design of gripping systems that enable structural engineers to utilize full high tensile strength of FRP rods and plates.

Professor Al-Mayah is also conducting research on biomechanical properties of soft tissues and medical applications. The research focuses on the development of new minimally invasive techniques to measure in vivo, and patient-specific mechanical properties of tissues. In addition, he has applied biomechanical modeling for image guided radiotherapy of the lungs, head-and-neck, liver, prostate, and breast. This has been contributing to the accurate delivery of radiotherapy doses to the tumor while sparing healthy tissues.

In conclusion, innovative research activities are under way in which engineering and medical techniques are merged to address the challenges in both fields.