Numerical validation of pulse wave propagation: effects of arterial length

In this paper, the effects of arterial length on pulse wave propagation are presented to validate our fluid-structure interaction model. Three models, called the original, lengthened and shortened artery models, were obtained by changing arterial length. The results show that there is an obvious time delay between the velocity waveforms at two different locations in the original artery model, the same as the lengthened artery model. Furthermore, the velocity amplitude increases greatly in the two models. However the time delay cannot be seen clearly and the increase of the velocity amplitude is very small in the shortened artery model. There is a highest increase in the velocity amplitude of the lengthened artery model. The results indicate that arterial length plays an important role and give our model effective.