Fractional-Step Schemes for the Coupling of Distributed and Lumped Models in Hemodynamics

Abstract

In three-dimensional (3D) blood flow simulations, lumped parameter models (0D) are often used to model the neglected parts of the downstream circulatory system. We consider two 3D-0D coupling approaches in which a fractional-step projection scheme is used in the fluid. Our analysis shows that explicit approaches might yield numerical instabilities, particularly in the case of realistic geometries with multiple outlets. We introduce and analyze an implicitly 3D-0D coupled formulation with enhanced stability properties and which requires a negligible additional computational cost. We also address the extension of these methods to fluid-structure interaction problems. The theoretical stability results are confirmed by meaningful numerical experiments in patient specific geometries coming from medical imaging.