Changes in velocity profiles in a two dimensional carotid artery geometry in response to changes in velocity waveforms and a simulated stenosis growth: a lattice Boltzmann simulation

It is known that low near wall velocity and shear stress are correlated to the pathogenesis and progression of atherosclerosis in the human arterial system. Obtaining accurate in vivo measurements of these variables is non-trivial, thus numerical modelling is often a powerful tool in the investigation of human arterial blood ow and cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis. In this paper the Lattice Boltzmann Method is used to simulate blood flow in a human carotid artery geometry for three different pulsatile waveforms. A simulated stenosis growth is implemented and variations in velocity profiles across three regions of the artery are examined. Many of the flow features relating to the incidence of atherosclerosis described in the literature are observed. Significant changes in the velocity across the artery are seen in response to the simulated stenosis growth.