Yamnesh Agrawal

About Me

PhD Student passionate about advancing biomechanics and engineering solutions

I am a PhD student in Mechanical Engineering & Material Science at the University of Pittsburgh. My research focuses on the intersection of biomechanics and engineering, with particular emphasis on soft tissue mechanics, dielectric elastomer actuators, and nonlinear wave propagation for structural health monitoring.

My work contributes to understanding the mechanical behavior of biological tissues, developing smart materials for advanced applications, and creating innovative techniques for damage detection in engineering structures. I have published research in leading journals including the Journal of Biomechanical Engineering, Smart Materials and Structures, and Composite Structures.

Education

PhD in Mechanical Engineering

University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA (2021 - Present)

Research Focus: Soft tissue biomechanics, Computational Modeling, Finite Element Analysis

B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Roorkee (2014 - 2018)

B.Tech Thesis Focus: Nondestructive Testing, Guided Wave Propagation, Composite Materials

Experience

My professional journey in mechanical engineering, biomechanics, and research

Graduate Research Assistant

University of Pittsburgh

Aug 2021 - Present

Conducting advanced computational biomechanical research on arterial tissue using multiscale finite element modeling (FEM) to better understand tissue failure mechanisms and improve medical diagnostics.

Developing a multiscale FEM of aneurysmal arterial tissue incorporating discrete fibers to capture biomechanical behavior.
Performing mechanical failure analysis of diseased arterial tissues to predict tissue failure using in-house FEM codes.
Collaborated with interdisciplinary teams on cardiovascular projects.
Mentored undergraduate students in cardiovascular research methodologies.

Finite Element Analysis Discrete Differential Geometry Discrete Fiber Modeling Biomechanics Data Analysis

Junior Research Fellow

Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee

Jan 2019 - July 2021

Focused on experimental and computational modeling of dielectric elastomer actuators to develop smart mirrors with tunable optical properties.

Modeled and fabricated dielectric elastomer actuators with hyper-viscoelastic behavior for variable focal length mirrors.
Investigated electro-mechanical instability parameters in dielectric elastomers under multi-directional loadings.
Conducted experimental characterization and analytical formulation to support device design.
Published related research and contributed to advancing variable focal length mirror technology.

Experimental Designing Material Modeling Computational Mechanics Analytical Formulation MATLAB

Project Engineer

Wipro Technologies Ltd. Pune

Jun 2018 - Jan 2019

Led automation and optimization of software testing processes in banking applications by leveraging sampling and statistical methods to enhance testing efficiency.

Automated software testing processes in trade booking applications using Unified Functional Testing (UFT) tools.
Prepared and executed test cases to optimize the software development life cycle.
Improved testing efficiency by reducing redundant test cases through statistical and sampling methods like LHS-PRCC, OAT, etc.
Collaborated with cross-functional teams to ensure software quality and process improvement.

Automation Testing Software Development Statistical Analysis Analytical Formulation MATLAB

Engineering Intern

Jindal Stainless Hisar Ltd.

Summer 2017

Applied mechanical engineering principles to industrial applications, focusing on material testing, design optimization, and process improvement.

Analyzed the wrong user practices to decrease redundant consumption of resources using Statistical process control methodology (SPC) by tracking trend anomalies.
Formulated a bias-free mathematical formula for vendor classification on the basis of three categories; Life cycle, Cost, and Service rating
Designed inventory models for the repetitive orders to reduce number of indents, the workload on MRO department and optimized the inventory carrying cost.

Inventory Management Design Optimization Quality Control Manufacturing Project Management

Research

Exploring the frontiers of biomechanics and advanced materials

Soft Tissue Biomechanics

Current PhD research focusing on multiscale finite element modeling of arterial tissues. Investigation of collagen fiber tortuosity distribution and mechanical response to predict tissue failure mechanisms in aneurysmal conditions.

Dielectric Elastomer Actuators

Development of smart materials and tunable reflectors using dielectric elastomers. Research includes electromechanical modeling, experimental characterization, and fabrication of variable focal length mirrors for optical applications.

Non-Destructive Testing in Composites

Advanced guided wave propagation techniques for structural health monitoring. Focus on nonlinear Lamb wave mixing for localization of breathing delaminations and damage detection in composite laminates.