Modelling the cardiovascular system: pulsating flow through a collapsible channel

The interaction between fluid flows and the deformation of solid structures is important in many engineering applications, as in turbochargers, wind turbines or airplane wings. The flow of blood in the body is also an example involving very complex fluid-structure interactions. Here the flow rate pulsates cyclically, the fluid is non-Newtonian and the precise material properties are difficult to measure accurately. Hence the development of appropriate simplified models and experiments is necessary in order to determine the importance of each of these ingredients and their nature. In this project we will be dealing with a basic model for the behaviour of medium sized blood vessels consisting of a partially elastic, partially rigid channel with a Poiseuille flow as initial condition. With this model we try to simulate real life cases and try to obtain results that could bring to better understanding of the circulatory system, while also covering the basis of solid mechanics, fluid mechanics and Partial differential equations solving methods necessary to fully understand the purpose of this project.