Computational fluid–structure interaction analysis of arterial hemodynamics for cardiovascular risk assessment

Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) continue to be a major cause of death worldwide; thus, improving diagnostic and treatment methods requires advanced computer modeling techniques. This study aimed to investigate the hemodynamic and structural behavior of arterial walls using a fluid–structure interaction (FSI) model. Modeling the walls as hyper-elastic materials and assuming Newtonian blood flow, COMSOL multiphysics was used to create a three-dimensional (3D) computational model of the aorta and its main branches. Our new model enhances one-way and two-way coupling comparisons to evaluate the effects on wall stress, velocity profiles, and flow and pressure distributions. According to the simulation results, two-way coupling efficiently captured the bidirectional interplay between blood flow and arterial mechanics, improving wall stress estimates by 30% compared with one-way coupling. Under high-viscosity conditions (0.1 Pa·s), the proximal aorta exhibited a peak velocity of approximately 0.13 m/s, which gradually decreased downstream owing to branching and arterial compliance. Systolic pressures were highest near the aortic entrance and decreased downstream, according to pressure distribution studies. Furthermore, under extreme hypertension conditions (160 mmHg), the experiments revealed a maximal displacement of 4.10 μm, where the mechanical stress was highest in disease-prone areas. Nevertheless, although intensive computations are required, our results highlight the potential of sophisticated FSI modeling to improve personalized risk prediction for cardiovascular disorders.