Our Heart-Lung Finite Element Multiscale Computational Model
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Our multiscale-multiphysics computational model couples the heart and lung, including mechanics, blood flow, and air flow. The heart mechanics relies on the experimental stress-stretch relationships for the passive heart tissue, and includes muscle activation according to the heart's electrical potential. This potential is computed according to the Kojic Transport Model (KTM), where the 1D electrical conduction is transformed into a 3D format, in order to compute cell membrane potential, and ultimately generation of the active stress within the muscle fibers. Regarding the lung, we introduced a multiscale-multiphysics lung finite element with mechanics, airflow, blood flow, and gas exchange. The lung mechanical model relies on the micromechanics of the lung parenchyma and the Wilson-Bachofen assumption of the balance between the external and the internal supporting systems, while the physical fields are modeled according to the KTM. We have developed a consistent coupling of a 3D flow within large vessels, governed by the Navier-Stokes equations, with the 1D flow according to the Hagen-Poiseuille law. A selected example of solutions illustrates the applicability and generality of our computational models. The outlined computational methodology is built into our finite element code PAK, which was initiated 50 years ago as a FE software for in engineering and bioengineering applications.
