Human lungs fluid mechanics: an overview of current modelling techniques

Area of Science:

• Pulmonary Medicine
• Biomedical Engineering
• Fluid Dynamics

Background:

• Fluid mechanics is crucial for respiratory system functions like airflow dynamics, particle transport, and airway stability.
• Numerous models exist to describe lung processes across different spatial and temporal scales.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide an integrated overview of current modeling techniques in pulmonary fluid mechanics.
• To emphasize the multiscale and multiphysics nature of lung simulations.
• To discuss challenges and future directions in lung mechanics modeling.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing modeling approaches, from first-principle continuum formulations to reduced-order and data-driven models.
• Discussion of strategies for coupling different modeling techniques.
• Analysis of challenges in simulating human lung mechanics.

Main Results:

• An integrated overview of pulmonary fluid mechanics modeling techniques is presented.
• The multiscale and multiphysics aspects of lung simulation are emphasized.
• A hierarchy of modeling approaches is reviewed.

Conclusions:

• Coupling models and developing clinically robust validation indicators are essential for future research.
• Addressing simulation challenges requires benchmark cases for reliable model validation.
• Advancements in pulmonary fluid mechanics modeling are critical for understanding respiratory physiology.