Effects of the three-dimensional residual stresses on the mechanical properties of arterial walls

• Layer-specific three-dimensional residual stresses considering the bending and stretching both in the circumferential and axial directions of the three distinct layers of an arterial wall are discussed.
• Distributions of the three-dimensional residual stresses through the different layers of an arterial wall are given.
• The bending in the axial direction of the media significantly affects the global deformation and the stress distributions of arterial walls.

Effects of the three-dimensional residual stresses on the mechanical properties of arterial walls are analyzed in this paper, based on the model which considered the bending and stretching both in the circumferential and axial directions of the three distinct arterial layers. Moreover, different constitutive models are proposed to quantify the nonlinear mechanics of the three distinct layers and the important constituents, i.e. elastin, collagen fibers and smooth muscle cells (SMCs), are all taken into account. The stress distributions and pressure–radius curves of the arterial wall are given in details. Results demonstrate that the maximum values of the circumferential stress and the corresponding stress gradient in the media under the mean arterial pressure are reduced significantly as a consequence of the SMCs. The bending in the axial direction of the media and the opening angle of the intima have an obvious impact on the mechanical behaviors of arterial walls. This study may not only develop the understanding of effects of the three-dimensional residual stresses on the arterial wall response, but also can increase the accuracy of the analyses for patient-specific studies used for the treatments of arterial diseases.