Blood flow simulation using smoothed particle hydrodynamics

Abstract

To understand the characteristics of blood flow, it is important to identify key parameters that influence the flow of blood. The characterisation of blood flow will also enable us to understand the flow parameters associated with physiological conditions such as atherosclerosis. Thrombosis plays a crucial role in atherosclerosis and it also helps to stop bleeding when a blood vessel is injured. This article focuses on using a meshless particle-based Lagrangian numerical technique, named the smoothed particles hydrodynamic (SPH) method, to study the flow behaviour of blood and to explore the flow conditions that induce the formation of thrombus in a blood vessel. Due to its simplicity and effectiveness, the SPH method is employed here to simulate the process of thrombogenesis for various blood flow parameters. In the present SPH simulation, blood is modelled by particles that have the characteristics of plasma and of platelets. To simulate the coagulation of platelets which forms thrombus, the adhesion and aggregation processes of the platelets are modelled by an effective inter-particle attraction force model. With these models, the motion of platelets in flowing blood, and their adhesion and aggregation are effectively coupled with viscous blood flow. In this study, the adhesion and aggregation of blood particles are analysed on a (straight vessel) under various velocities of blood scenarios. The results are compared with experimental results, and a good agreement is found between the simulated and experimental results.