A mixed-order interpolation solid element for efficient arterial wall simulations

A numerical strategy tailored to model the mechanical equilibrium in vascular vessels is presented. The formulation, based on a specific arrangement of finite elements, exploits the shell-like structure of the vessel wall by proposing a mixed-order approximation of the displacement field. The fields across the thickness are represented by a single element with high order polynomial approximation while the in-plane components are described through low-order 2D polynomials. The formulation is versatile to accommodate any kind of hyperelastic constitutive material model undergoing large strains. A series of numerical examples is presented to validate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. These examples range from benchmark problems reported in the literature to applications in the domain of cardiovascular modeling. The proposed approach proved to be effective and efficient in simulating the mechanics of vascular vessels.

Automated summary

A numerical strategy is presented for modeling the mechanical equilibrium in vascular vessels. This strategy utilizes the shell-like structure of the vessel wall by proposing a mixed-order approximation of the displacement field. The effectiveness of this approach is validated through numerical examples, showing its versatility and efficiency in simulating the mechanics of vascular vessels.