Hemodynamics of the heart's left atrium based on a Variational Multiscale-LES numerical model

Keywords

Advanced Numerical Methods for Scientific Computing
Computational Medicine for the Cardiocirculatory System
Code:
80/2020
Title:
Hemodynamics of the heart's left atrium based on a Variational Multiscale-LES numerical model
Date:
Monday 30th November 2020
Author(s):
Zingaro, A.; Dede', L.; Menghini, F.; Quarteroni, A.
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Abstract:
In this paper, we investigate the hemodynamics of a left atrium (LA) by proposing a computational model suitable to provide physically meaningful fluid dynamics indications and detailed blood flow characterization. In particular, we consider the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations in Arbitrary Lagrangian Eulerian (ALE) formulation to deal with the LA domain under prescribed motion. A Variational Multiscale (VMS) model is adopted to obtain a stable formulation of the Navier-Stokes equations discretized by means of the Finite Element method and to account for turbulence modeling based on Large Eddy Simulation (LES). The aim of this paper is twofold: on one hand to improve the general understanding of blood flow in the human LA in normal conditions; on the other, to analyse the effects of VMS-LES models on a situation of blood flow which is neither laminar, nor fully turbulent, but rather transitional as in LA. Our conclusion is that the VMS-LES model is better suited to capture transitional effects than the standard SUPG stabilization method.
This report, or a modified version of it, has been also submitted to, or published on
European Journal of Mechanics - B/Fluids (Elsevier)