CAREER: Unsteady Inertial Flow Dynamics in a Confined Domain Excited by Analytical and Empirical Actuation Patterns

An aneurysm is a bulge in the wall of a blood vessel. Aneurysm rupture is a life-threatening medical emergency and constitutes a significant healthcare burden in the United States. Over the past decades, researchers have discovered that the behavior of blood flow within an aneurysm plays a substantial role in its growth and rupture. This project takes that understanding a step further by studying how human body movements, such as jogging or bicycling, may affect flow inside aneurysms. Results from the study may help medical professionals recommend specific physical exercises for patients to reduce the risk of aneurysm rupture. The experimental approach used in the project will promote interdisciplinary research in fluid dynamics and biomedical engineering. Educational activities will promote hands-on research opportunities for undergraduate students, introduce the field of bioengineering to K-12 students, and develop fluid mechanics lectures for non-engineering students, all aimed at sparking interest in future generations and highlighting the role of engineering in advancing medical innovation. This project aims to answer a fundamental physics question: What is the role of unsteady inertial forces in confined pulsatile flow? The project will employ a novel experimental platform integrating several advanced techniques, including a robotic arm, a physically relevant aneurysm flow phantom, and particle image velocimetry. Programmed motion patterns will drive the robotic arm to mimic human body movements. Simultaneously, a flow measurement system will capture changes in aneurysm flow dynamics resulting from the motion. The project will develop a scaling law that characterizes how movement affects aneurysmal flow and will verify it under realistic conditions. This knowledge could inform personalized exercise guidelines for patients with aneurysms, potentially reducing the risk of rupture. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.