Structural and fluid mechanics simulations have been developed for a wide range of applications, including bone mechanics and blood flow through arteries and veins. As these models improve, the next step is to couple fluid and structural simulations for a solution that can better capture the overall dynamics of a system [1]. The resulting fluid–structure interaction (FSI) problems require simultaneously solving the governing equations of fluid and solid mechanics, which can be accomplished via several approaches [2,3].
This paper reports on the current progress and lessons learned by our interdisciplinary team, which is creating an “as accurate as possible” FSI model for simulating the dynamics of the right atrium (RA) of a real heart, with and without an implanted pacemaker wire. The RA structure is one of the preferred pathways for inserting pacemakers in the right ventricle. Although cardiac pacemakers have been employed for...
