The　rupture　of　carotid　atherosclerotic　plaques　and　thrombosis　are　the　main　risk　factor　for　ischemic　stroke.　The　risk　of　carotid　plaque　rupture　is　closely　related　with　the　local　biomechanical　situation,　morphology,　components　and　biological　activity　of　the　carotid　plaques.　In　this　article,　the　research　progress　on　methodology　for　studying　carotid　stenosis　biomechanics,　the　risk　of　vulnerable　plaque　rupture　in　carotid　stenosis　and　decision-making　in　clinical　treatment,　the　animal　modeling　and　experiment　on　vulnerable　carotid　plaques,　and　the　components　and　biological　activities　of　carotid　plaques　was　summarized,　the　existing　problems　were　analyzed,　and　the　in-depth　prospective　about　the　biomechanical　mechanism　and　quantitative　assessment　indices　for　vulnerable　carotid　plaques　was　also　proposed,　expecting　to　provide　necessary　theoretical　guidance　for　feasible　decision-making　on　the　treatment　of　carotid　stenosis.　©　2016,　Editorial　Office　of　Journal　of　Medical　Biomechanics.　All　right　reserved.