Weakly non-linear waves in a fluid-filled elastic tube with variable prestretch

Abstract

In the present work, by utilizing the non-linear equations of motion of an incompressible, isotropic thin elastic tube subjected to a variable prestretch both in the axial and the radial directions and the approximate equations of motion of an incompressible inviscid fluid, which is assumed to be a model for blood, we studied the propagation of weakly non-linear waves in such a medium, in the long wave approximation. Employing the reductive perturbation method we obtained the variable coefficient KdV equation as the evolution equation. By seeking a travelling wave solution to this evolution equation, we observed that the wave speed is variable in the axial coordinate and it decreases for increasing circumferential stretch (or radius). Such a result seems to be plausible from physical considerations.