Lecture 16 - Blood flow in arteries 2

Question 1

Describe the wave propagation observations in arteries.

Answer 1

blood is ejected from the heart during systole

the pressure pulse propagates along the arterial tree
with a certain velocity

the pulse propagation has wave-like character

the shape of the pulse changes as it propagates through the
arterial system

Question 2

Assumptions about arteries for wave propagation analysis?

Answer 2

infinitely long, straight, isolated, circular, cylindrical, elastic tubes containing a homogeneous, incompressible and nonviscous fluid

cross-sectional area depends only on pressure across the tube wall (transmural pressure)

wave amplitude is small and the wave length is long compared to the tube radius

Question 3

Wave speed in thin-walled elastic tube? ( Moens-Korteweg
relationship)

Answer 3

c = sqrt {Eh/2rho*a_i}