Computational hemodynamics in arteries with the one-dimensional augmented fluid-structure interaction system: viscoelastic parameters estimation and comparison with in-vivo data

Mathematical models are widely recognized as a valuable tool for cardiovascular diagnosis and the study of circulatory diseases, especially to obtain data that require otherwise invasive measurements. To correctly simulate body hemodynamics, the viscoelastic properties of vessel walls are a key aspect to be taken into account as they play an essential role in cardiovascular behavior. The present work aims to apply the augmented fluid-structure interaction system of blood flow to real case studies to assess the validity of the model as a valuable resource to improve cardiovascular diagnostics and the treatment of pathologies. First, the ability of the model to correctly simulate pulse waveforms in single arterial segments is verified using literature benchmark test cases. Such cases are designed taking into account a simple elastic behavior of the wall in the upper thoracic aorta and in the common carotid artery. Furthermore, in-vivo pressure waveforms, extracted from tonometric measurements performed on four human common carotid arteries and two common femoral arteries, are compared to numerical solutions. It is highlighted that the viscoelastic damping effect of arterial walls is required to avoid an overestimation of pressure peaks. An effective procedure to estimate the viscoelastic parameters of the model is herein proposed, which returns hysteresis curves of the common carotid arteries dissipating energy fractions in line with values calculated from literature hysteresis loops in the same vessel.
Comment: submitted to Journal of Biomechanics