Computational Hemodynamics of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms

An existing computational model is extended to simulate Newtonian and non-Newtonian blood flow in three dimensional idealized abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) geometries in order to calculate the wall shear stress (WSS) and wall shear stress gradient (WSSG) along the arterial wall and obtain the velocity profile. From these, the locations of high and low WSS and WSSG can be determined, as well as regions of recirculation that present as low velocity vortices within the aneurysm. Results of these simulations will be analyzed to determine the effect of fluid constitutive law on the hemodynamics of idealized AAA geometries. This analysis will allow for conclusions to be made concerning the importance of using of a non-Newtonian constitutive law for blood flow in models of relatively large arteries.