Effect of non-Newtonian behaviour on fluid structural interaction for flow through a model stenosed artery

The cause and development of many cardiovascular diseases are related to the nature of blood flow and the mechanical behaviour of the blood vessel. Moreover, the plaque (stenosis) rapture can be occurred as a result of interaction between the blood and plaque, leading to the clot formation and stroke. In the present study, the interaction of blood flow with plaque (stenosis) was numerically modelled. A pulsatile flow was used to mimic the real blood flow through the artery. The rheological properties of blood are considered as Newtonian as well as non-Newtonian. Fibrous cap thickness was varied from 0.1 mm to 2.0 mm. Many vortex rings are appeared at the pre- and post-stenotic region in the Newtonian model than in the non-Newtonian model. Deformation of stenosis, wall shear stress (WSS) and vomises stress all are found high in non-Newtonian model for the fibrous cap thicknesses studied here. Moreover, in Newtonian model, the vonmises stress was found to be 6500 pa for the case of 50% stenosis with 0.1mm fibrous cap thickness on the other hand it was around 10500 pa in case of non-Newtonian model. (C) 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.