Comparison of haemodynamics in cerebral aneurysms of different sizes located in the ophthalmic artery

Haemodynamics plays an important role in the progression and rupture of cerebral aneurysms. The temporal and spatial variations of the wall shear stress in the aneurysmal sac are hypothesized to be correlated with its growth and rupture. In addition, the assessment of the velocity field in the aneurysm dome and neck is important for the correct placement of endovascular coils. This work describes the flow dynamics in patient‐specific models of saccular aneurysms of different sizes located in the ophthalmic artery. The models were obtained from three‐dimensional rotational angiography image data and blood flow dynamics was studied under physiologically representative waveform of inflow. The three‐dimensional continuity and momentum equations for unsteady laminar flow were solved with commercial software using nonstructured fine grid sizes. The intra‐aneurysmal flows show complex vortex structures that change during one pulsatile cycle. A relation between the aneurysm aspect ratio and the mean wall shear stress on the aneurysmal sac is showed. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Non‐Newtonian blood flow dynamics in a right internal carotid artery with a saccular aneurysm

Flow dynamics plays an important role in the pathogenesis and treatment of cerebral aneurysms. The temporal and spatial variations of wall shear stress in the aneurysm are hypothesized to be correlated with its growth and rupture. In addition, the assessment of the velocity field in the aneurysm dome and neck is important for the correct placement of endovascular coils. This work describes the flow dynamics in a patient‐specific model of carotid artery with a saccular aneurysm under Newtonian and non‐Newtonian fluid assumptions. The model was obtained from three‐dimensional rotational angiography image data and blood flow dynamics was studied under physiologically representative waveform of inflow. The three‐dimensional continuity and momentum equations for incompressible and unsteady laminar flow were solved with a commercial software using non‐structured fine grid with 283 115 tetrahedral elements. The intra‐aneurysmal flow shows complex vortex structure that change during one pulsatile cycle. The effect of the non‐Newtonian properties of blood on the wall shear stress was important only in the arterial regions with high velocity gradients, on the aneurysmal wall the predictions with the Newtonian and non‐Newtonian blood models were similar. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A comparison between different asymmetric abdominal aortic aneurysm morphologies employing computational fluid–structure interaction analysis

Considering representative asymmetric aneurysms in the abdominal aorta, the transient 3-D blood flow and pressure distributions as well as aneurysm wall stresses were numerically analyzed. To obtain more realistic and accurate results for blood flow fields and wall stress distributions, a coupled fluid-flow and solid–structure solver was employed. Geometric abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) variations studied included the degree of asymmetry, neck angle and bifurcation angle, and hence their impacts on the hemodynamics and biomechanics. The simulation results indicated that the assumption of symmetric AAA geometry may underestimate AAA-wall stress considerably. The neck angle influences the blood flow field substantially. A large neck angle, resulting in strong wall curvatures near the proximal neck, can produce aggravating blood flow patterns and elevated wall stresses (Von Mises). The iliac bifurcation angle affects blood flow patterns insignificantly but plays an important role in wall-stress concentrations. The wall stress of lateral asymmetric AAAs is higher than for the anterior-posterior asymmetric types. The maximum wall stress-site is located near the anterior distal side for the anterior-posterior asymmetric AAA and the distal side towards the asymmetric bulge in the lateral asymmetric AAA.     

动脉瘤内流场以及瘤体尺寸的影响的数值研究

采用计算流体动力学(CFD)数值模拟的方法,在周期性脉动速度入流条件下,建立刚性动脉瘤模型并研究了动脉瘤模型中流场的特征(速度、压力、壁面剪切应力)。得到了脉动入流一个周期内流场特征的变化规律,发现动脉瘤的后端有相当高的压力和壁面剪切应力,而且高压力和壁面剪切应力分布的位置几乎是固定的。探讨了不同动脉瘤尺寸对内部流场的影响,动脉瘤的直径与瘤体长度之比越大,瘤壁承受的剪切应力就越大,动脉瘤破裂的危险性就越高。     

Unsteady compressible boundary layer flow over a circular cone near a plane of symmetry

An analysis has been performed to study the unsteady laminar compressible boundary layer governing the hypersonic flow over a circular cone at an angle of attack near a plane of symmetry with either inflow or outflow in the presence of suction. The flow is assumed to be steady at time t=0 and at t>0 it becomes unsteady due to the time-dependent free stream velocity which varies arbitrarily with time. The nonlinear coupled parabolic partial differential equations under boundary layer approximations have been solved by using an implicit finite-difference method. It is found that suction plays an important role in stabilising the fluid motion and in obtaining unique solution of the problem. The effect of the cross flow parameter is found to be more pronounced on the cross flow surface shear stress than on the streamwise surface shear stress and surface heat transfer. Beyond a certain value of the cross flow parameter overshoot in the cross flow velocity occurs and the magnitude of this overshoot increases with the cross flow parameter. The time variation of the streamwise surface shear stress is more significant than that of the cross flow surface shear stress and surface heat transfer. The suction and the total enthalpy at the wall exert strong influence on the streamwise and cross flow surface shear stresses and the surface heat transfer except that the effect of suction on the cross flow surface shear stress is small.     

LDV measurements in lateral model aneurysms of various sizes

 Laser Doppler velocimetry (LDV) measurements are presented of three-dimensional flow fields in lateral model aneurysms arising from a straight parent vessel at a 90° angle. The flow considered was pulsatile and the aneurysm wall was rigid. The mean, peak, and minimal Reynolds numbers based on the bulk average velocity and diameter of the parent vessel were 550, 790, and 375, respectively. Comparisons among present in vitro studies, previous in vitro studies, computational simulations, and in vivo studies were made. It was found that the inflow angle into the lateral aneurysm, the maximum wall shear stress acting on the distal lip of the lateral aneurysm, and the intra-aneurysmal vortical motion increased with decreasing aneurysm size. This fact together with the impingement bifurcation of the inflow at the aneurysm dome provide possible hemodynamic factors for the rupture of the lateral aneurysm at small critical size. Received: 15 March 1996/Accepted: 13 March 1997     

Blood flow dynamics and fluid–structure interaction in patient‐specific bifurcating cerebral aneurysms

Hemodynamics plays an important role in the progression and rupture of cerebral aneurysms. The current work describes the blood flow dynamics and fluid–structure interaction in seven patient‐specific models of bifurcating cerebral aneurysms located in the anterior and posterior circulation regions of the circle of Willis. The models were obtained from 3D rotational angiography image data, and blood flow dynamics and fluid–structure interaction were studied under physiologically representative waveform of inflow. The arterial wall was assumed to be elastic, isotropic and homogeneous. The flow was assumed to be laminar, non‐Newtonian and incompressible. In one case, the effects of different model suppositions and boundary conditions were reported in detail. The fully coupled fluid and structure models were solved with the finite elements package ADINA. The vortex structure, pressure, wall shear stress (WSS), effective stress and displacement of the aneurysm wall showed large variations, depending on the morphology of the artery, aneurysm size and position. The time‐averaged WSS, effective stress and displacement at the aneurysm fundus vary between 0.17 and 4.86 Pa, 4.35 and 170.2 kPa and 0.16 and 0.74 mm, respectively, for the seven patient‐specific models of bifurcating cerebral aneurysms. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Response of the streaks, the active and passive eddies in an unsteady channel flow

Spanwise space–time correlations of the wall shear stress and the longitudinal velocity fluctuations in the low buffer layer of an unsteady channel flow are reported. The imposed amplitude is 20% of the centerline velocity and the imposed frequency covers a large range going from the quasi-steady limit to the bursting frequency of the corresponding steady flow. The unsteady spanwise correlation coefficient is investigated both through its own modulation characteristics (amplitude and phase shifts) and those of the resulting streak spacing. A good correspondence is found between the modulation of the streak spacing and that of the ejection period. The data is further analyzed by temporal filtering of the wall shear stress and streamwise velocity fluctuations. It is shown that the large outer-layer structures play a “passive” role in the unsteady response of the near wall turbulence. The inner wall eddies, in return, are amply responsible for the unsteady reaction of both the turbulent wall shear stress and the streamwise velocity intensities in the buffer layer.     

Comparison between computational fluid dynamics,fluid–structure interaction and computational structural dynamics predictions of flow-induced wall mechanics in an anatomically realistic cerebral aneurysm model

Haemodynamically induced stress plays an important role in the progression and rupture of cerebral aneurysms. The current work describes computational fluid dynamics (CFD), fluid–structure interaction (FSI) and computational structural dynamics (CSD) simulations in an anatomically realistic model of a carotid artery with two saccular cerebral aneurysms in the ophthalmic region. The model was obtained from three-dimensional (3D) rotational angiographic imaging data. CFD and FSI were studied under a physiologically representative waveform of inflow. The arterial wall was assumed elastic or hyperelastic, as a 3D solid or as a shell depending on the type of modelling used. The flow was assumed to be laminar, non-Newtonian and incompressible. The CFD, FSI and CSD models were solved with the finite elements package ADINA. Predictions of velocity field and wall shear stress (WSS) on the aneurysms made using CFD and FSI were compared. The CSD model of the aneurysms using complete geometry was compared with isolated aneurysm models. Additionally, the effects of hypertensive pressure on CSD aneurysm models are also reported. The vortex structure, WSS, effective stress, strain and displacement of the aneurysm walls showed differences, depending on the type of modelling used.     

Biomechanical Simulation to Compare the Blood Hemodynamics and Cerebral Aneurysm Rupture Risk in Patients with Different Aneurysm Necks

In this study, one normal subject and two patients suffering from a cerebral aneurysm with circular and elliptical necks are analyzed by using the fluid-structure interaction (FSI) method. Although the blood hemodynamics parameters increase after the occurrence of the disease, the largest increase is in the wall shear stress (by a factor of 4.1–6.5) as compared to the normal subject. The increase in these parameters for patients with a circular neck is more pronounced than that with an elliptical neck. The blood flow becomes slightly more turbulent after the occurrence of the cerebral aneurysm, though it still remains in the range of the laminar flow and the pulsatility of the blood flow in patients is 28–45% greater than that of the normal subject. Finally, the results show that the risk of vessel rupture in the cerebral aneurysm with a circular neck is 40.8% higher than that in the case of the cerebral aneurysm with an elliptical neck.     

The transmission of turbulent boundary layer unsteady pressure and shear stress through a viscoelastic layer

The transmission of unsteady pressure and shear stress, generated by a turbulent boundary layer in water, through a viscoelastic layer backed by a rigid plate is investigated. Analytical models are used to estimate the unsteady pressure and shear stress from 10 to 1000 Hz for a flat plate boundary layer with zero pressure gradient. Additionally, models for the transfer of the unsteady pressures and shear stress through the viscoelastic layer are developed. The models are used to predict the unsteady pressure fluctuations, or flow noise, which would be seen by a finite size sensor embedded under the elastomer layer. The unsteady pressure levels are found to be 20 dB greater than the unsteady shear stress levels across all frequency ranges computed, in agreement with recent measurements. The unsteady pressure transfer functions have a peak at the shear wavenumber and are larger than the shear stress transfer magnitudes from 10 to 50 Hz. The unsteady shear stress transfer functions have a peak at the acoustic wavenumber and are larger than the pressure transfer magnitudes from 50 to 1000 Hz. Over the frequency range examined, the unsteady pressures were found to be the dominant contributor to the sensor flow noise due to the considerably larger magnitude of the unsteady pressures on the top of the viscoelastic layer.     

Intra-aneurysmal blood flow based on patient-specific CT angiogram

To discuss the validity of the hemodynamic hypothesis of aneurysm rupture, we used a patient-specific, realistic aneurysm model to reveal the flow structure and wall shear stress distribution in two cases: one with an unruptured aneurysm and the other with a ruptured aneurysm. We used particle imaging velocimetry and laser Doppler velocimetry to measure velocity profiles of intra-aneurysmal flow. Both cases had a circulating flow along the aneurysm wall, although the second case had a recirculating zone only in the minimum phase. Differences in the wall shear stress profile may identify aneurysm rupture.     

Application of the lattice Boltzmann method to flow in aneurysm with ring‐shaped stent obstacles

To resolve the characteristics of a highly complex flow, a lattice Boltzmann method with an extrapolation boundary technique was used in aneurysms with and without transverse objects on the upper wall, and results were compared with the non‐stented aneurysm. The extrapolation boundary concept allows the use of Cartesian grids even when the boundaries do not conform to Cartesian coordinates. To ease the code development and facilitate the incorporation of new physics, a new scientific programming strategy based on object‐oriented concepts was developed. The reduced flow, smaller vorticity magnitude and wall shear stress, and smaller du/dy near the dome of the aneurysm were observed when the proposed stent obstacles were used. The height of the stent obstacles was more effective to reduce the vorticity near the dome of the aneurysm than the width of the stent. The rectangular stent with 20% height‐of‐vessel radius was observed to be optimal and decreased the magnitude of the vorticity by 21% near the dome of the aneurysm. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Transient analysis of diffusive chemical reactive species for couple stress fluid flow over vertical cylinder

The unsteady natural convective couple stress fluid flow over a semi-infinite vertical cylinder is analyzed for the homogeneous first-order chemical reaction effect. The couple stress fluid flow model introduces the length dependent effect based on the material constant and dynamic viscosity. Also, it introduces the biharmonic operator in the Navier-Stokes equations, which is absent in the case of Newtonian fluids. The solution to the time-dependent non-linear and coupled governing equations is carried out with an unconditionally stable Crank-Nicolson type of numerical schemes. Numerical results for the transient flow variables, the average wall shear stress, the Nusselt number, and the Sherwood number are shown graphically for both generative and destructive reactions. The time to reach the temporal maximum increases as the reaction constant K increases. The average values of the wall shear stress and the heat transfer rate decrease as K increases, while increase with the increase in the Sherwood number.     

Optimal control of unsteady compressible viscous flows

The control of complex, unsteady flows is a pacing technology for advances in fluid mechanics. Recently, optimal control theory has become popular as a means of predicting best case controls that can guide the design of practical flow control systems. However, most of the prior work in this area has focused on incompressible flow which precludes many of the important physical flow phenomena that must be controlled in practice including the coupling of fluid dynamics, acoustics, and heat transfer. This paper presents the formulation and numerical solution of a class of optimal boundary control problems governed by the unsteady two‐dimensional compressible Navier–Stokes equations. Fundamental issues including the choice of the control space and the associated regularization term in the objective function, as well as issues in the gradient computation via the adjoint equation method are discussed. Numerical results are presented for a model problem consisting of two counter‐rotating viscous vortices above an infinite wall which, due to the self‐induced velocity field, propagate downward and interact with the wall. The wall boundary control is the temporal and spatial distribution of wall‐normal velocity. Optimal controls for objective functions that target kinetic energy, heat transfer, and wall shear stress are presented along with the influence of control regularization for each case. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

非定常IV型激波－激波干扰数值模拟研究

对IV型激波-激波干扰非定常流动进行了数值模拟，采用有限体积法，结合空间半隐的二阶OC-TVD格式与时间二阶显式Runge-Kutta法求解三维全N-S方程，并且使用了Baldwin-Lomax代数湍流模型．得到了周期性流场变化结果，其中包括周期变化的双涡结构．壁面压强峰值的大小和位置均呈周期性振动，壁面压力系数和Stanton数的时均分布与定常实验结果符合得较好．并从一周期内流场结构的扰动传播出发，分析了结构变化的相位，说明了IV型激波一激波干扰内在的非定常性机理与影响因素。     

Instability of the separated shear layer in flow past a cylinder: Forced excitation

The receptivity of the separated shear layer for Re = 300 flow past a cylinder is investigated by forced excitation via an unsteady inflow. In order to isolate the shear layer instability, a numerical experiment is set up that suppresses the primary wake instability. Computations are carried out for one half of the cylinder, in two dimensions. The flow past half a cylinder with steady inflow is found to be stable for Re = 300. However, an inlet flow with pulsatile perturbations, of amplitude 1% of the mean, results in the excitation of the shear layer mode. The frequency of the perturbation of the inlet flow determines the frequency associated with the shear layer vortices. For a certain range of forced frequencies the recirculation region undergoes a low‐frequency longitudinal contraction and expansion. An attempt is made to relate this instability to a global mode of the wake determined from a linear stability analysis. Interestingly, this phenomenon disappears when the outflow boundary of the computational domain is shifted sufficiently downstream. This study demonstrates the need of carefully investigating the effect of the location of outflow boundaries if the computational results indicate the presence of low‐frequency fluctuations. The effect of Re and amplitude of unsteadiness at the inlet are also presented. All computations have been carried out using a stabilized finite element formulation of the incompressible flow equations. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Experimental validation of a dynamic resonant wall shear stress sensor

Experimental measurements are used to validate a numerical model of a dynamic resonant wall shear stress sensor. The numerical model consists of an unsteady two-dimensional boundary-layer model for the flow and a simple mechanical model for the sensor itself. The sensor’s sensitivity to wall shear stress is experimentally determined in a flat-plate boundary layer, and the results agree closely with those from the numerical simulations. Using the validated model, it is determined that the energy lost in each sensor oscillation due to the interaction between the sensor and fluid increases with increasing mean wall shear stress.     

Dynamic response of micro-pillar sensors measuring fluctuating wall-shear-stress

We present in this paper test results of flexible micro-pillars and pillar arrays for wall shear stress measurements in flows with fluctuating wall shear stress such as unsteady separated flows or turbulent flows. Previous papers reported on the sensing principle and fabrication process. Static calibrations have shown this sensor to have a maximum nonlinearity of 1% over two orders of wall-shear-stress. For measurements in flows with fluctuating wall shear stress the dynamic response has been experimentally verified in an oscillating pipe flow and compared to a calculated response based on Stokes’ and Oseen’s solution for unsteady flow around a cylinder. The results demonstrate good agreement under the given boundary conditions of cylindrical micro-pillars and the limit of viscous Stokes-flow around the pillar. Depending on the fluid and pillar geometry, different response curves result ranging from a flat low-pass filtered response to a strong resonant behavior. Two different methods are developed to detect the frequency content and the directional wall shear stress information from image processing of large sensor films with arrays of micro-pillars of different geometry. Design rules are given to achieve the optimal conditions with respect to signal-to-noise ratio, sensitivity and bandwidth for measurements in turbulent flows.     

Flow fields in a simulated axisymmetric terminal aneurysm with symmetric and asymmetric outflows

Laser-Doppler velocimetric measurements and flow visualization were performed in a glass axisymmetric aneurysm model with symmetric and asymmetric outflows through the branches. The bifurcation angle was fixed at 140°, and the Reynolds number based on the steady bulk average velocity and diameter of the affarent conduit was 500. The flow characteristics such as flow separation in the afferent conduit and flow activity inside the aneurysm for the symmetric and asymmetric outflow cases were compared in detail, and the case that is susceptible to thrombosis was identified. In addition, the onset of transition from laminar to turbulent flow inside the aneurysm was evidenced by the presence of vortex breakdown and the steep increase in the fluctuation level. Finally, the effect of pulsation on the flow pattern in the aneurysm was examined.