Damping mechanisms and shock-like transitions in the human arterial tree (Q1062932)

The propagation of waves in a long artery modelled as a one-dimensional tube containing Newtonian fluid is considered. It is found that when viscoelastic walls are assumed and the fluid viscosity is neglected then shock formation is inhibited, but possible. This situation is shown to relate to large arteries. Shock propagation is possible with Poisseuille flow but with a more complicated and realistic viscosity representation it is shown, by using an expansion for small time, that shock waves cannot propagate. This is for rigid walls and is shown to apply to small arteries. Some numerical results are presented in graphical form.