Seminar 13th January 2012 1 p.m. 85/2207
Mathematical modelling of flow in curved compliant arteries
- Categories
- Biomedical
- Submitter
- Nicholas Evans
Mathematical modelling of flow in curved compliant arteries
Sevil Payvandi, Bioengineering Sciences Group, University of Southampton
Cardiovascular disease, and in particular atherosclerosis, remain the leading cause of death in the western world. Despite the systemic nature of most risk factors, the distribution of atherosclerotic plaques in the cardiovascular system is highly focal, typically occurring in areas of disturbed flow such as curved arteries. The causative mechanisms of atherosclerosis remain unknown, but a correlation between atherosclerosis and wall shear stress has been identified by Caro et al (Proc R Soc B 177: 109-159, 1971). Vessel compliance has usually been omitted from previous studies, but could influence the hemodynamics in the near-wall region and hence the shear stress.
The aim of this research is to understand the effects of compliance on flow in idealized curved arteries in steady, low- and high-frequency flow. The method of asymptotic analysis is used to solve the Navier-Stokes equations.
The governing parameters are the Dean number, (proportional to the Reynolds number of the flow multiplied by the square root of the curvature of the pipe), the Womersley number (proportional to the frequency of the oscillation and kinematic viscosity of the fluid), the steady streaming Reynolds number (proportional to the curvature of the pipe and the Womersley number), and the non-dimensional compliance of the wall.
The results of this analysis reveal the effect of compliance on the axial velocity profile, the secondary flow, and on the axial wall shear stress.