On predicting unsteady non-Newtonian blood flow

The influence of the non-Newtonian stress-strain relation of blood on the oscillatory shear index (OSI) and mean wall shear stress (WSS) are described. A mathematical non-dimensional model based on the momentum equation for a modified Casson's fluid is formulated in terms of the dimensionless yield shear stress τ0∗. An original direct numerical procedure is presented to predict the flow patterns. Results obtained by using a finite difference approach show a difference in OSI when blood is assumed to be a Newtonian fluid instead of a modified Casson's fluid. The calculation of the OSI in human normal conditions under the Newtonian approach differs in 5% from the result obtained from using the Casson model.