Numerical Simulation Model with Viscoelasticity of Arterial Wall

Numerical flow simulation is useful for understanding fluid phenomena such as blood flow or pulse wave propagation in the systemic arteries. For numerical analysis of intravascular flow, it is important to consider not only incompressible assumption and blood viscosity but also the viscoelasticity of the blood vessel wall; however, blood flow in vivo is complicated because of the unsteadiness of pulsatile flow and complex viscoelastic properties of the blood vessel wall. In order to conduct such numerical flow analysis in a viscoelastic blood vessel, it is effective to use the one-dimensional distributed parameter model, which can analyze flow along with the blood vessel axis. This distributed parameter model, pressure, flow volume and cross-section of the tube for every section element are defined and the time change is analyzed.