Effect of viscosity on the wave propagation: Experimental determination of compression and expansion pulse wave velocity in fluid-fill elastic tube

• Published in: Journal of biomechanics Vol. 48; no. 15; pp. 3969 - 3974
• Main Authors: Stojadinović, Bojana, Tenne, Tamar, Zikich, Dragoslav, Rajković, Nemanja, Milošević, Nebojša, Lazović, Biljana, Žikić, Dejan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Ltd 26-11-2015; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Biophysical Phenomena; Blood Circulation - physiology; Blood flow; Cardiovascular disease; Cardiovascular system; Cholesterol; Compression wave; Density; Expansion; Expansion wave; Experiments; Flow velocity; Hemodynamics; Longitudinal waves; Mathematical models; Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation; Pressure; Propagation; Pulse Wave Analysis; Pulse wave velocity; Sensors; Studies; Tubes; Veins & arteries; Viscosity; Wave propagation; Viscosity; Pulse wave velocity; Compression wave; Hemodynamics; Expansion wave
• ISSN: 0021-9290; 1873-2380
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2015.09.016

Abstract The velocity by which the disturbance travels through the medium is the wave velocity. Pulse wave velocity is one of the main parameters in hemodynamics. The study of wave propagation through the fluid-fill elastic tube is of great importance for the proper biophysical understanding of the nature of blood flow through of cardiovascular system. The effect of viscosity on the pulse wave velocity is generally ignored. In this paper we present the results of experimental measurements of pulse wave velocity (PWV) of compression and expansion waves in elastic tube. The solutions with different density and viscosity were used in the experiment. Biophysical model of the circulatory flow is designed to perform measurements. Experimental results show that the PWV of the expansion waves is higher than the compression waves during the same experimental conditions. It was found that the change in viscosity causes a change of PWV for both waves. We found a relationship between PWV, fluid density and viscosity.