Finite-Element Method for the Simulation of Lipid Vesicle/Fluid Interactions in a Quasi-Newtonian Fluid Flow

We present a computational framework for modeling an inextensible single vesicle driven by the Helfrich force in an incompressible, non-Newtonian extracellular Carreau fluid. The vesicle membrane is captured with a level set strategy. The local inextensibility constraint is relaxed by introducing a penalty which allows computational savings and facilitates implementation. A high-order Galerkin finite element approximation allows accurate calculations of the membrane force with high-order derivatives. The time discretization is based on the double composition of the one-step backward Euler scheme, while the time step size is flexibly controlled using a time integration error estimation. Numerical examples are presented with particular attention paid to the validation and assessment of the model's relevance in terms of physiological significance. Optimal convergence rates of the time discretization are obtained.

Automated summary

We propose a computational framework for modeling an inextensible single vesicle driven by the Helfrich force in an incompressible, non-Newtonian extracellular Carreau fluid. The level set strategy is used to capture the vesicle membrane, and a penalty method is introduced to relax the local inextensibility constraint, leading to computational savings and easier implementation. The membrane force is accurately calculated using a high-order Galerkin finite element approximation, which includes high-order derivatives. The time discretization is based on the double composition of the one-step backward Euler scheme, and the time step size is flexibly controlled using a time integration error estimation. Numerical examples are provided to validate and assess the model's physiological relevance, and optimal convergence rates of the time discretization are obtained.