Durability is a key measurement of prosthetic heart valve function. Assessment of fatigue life requires accurate estimates of the stresses induced during the cardiac cycle. Finite element (FE) studies have been used to estimate peak stresses in valves, and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) studies have been used to model blood flow around valves. Fluid-structure interaction (FSI) studies are less common, in part because the closure of the valve creates CFD domain pinching. The smoothed particle hydrodynamic (SPH) analysis method in Abaqus/Explicit overcomes this difficulty. In this Technology Brief, the SPH technique will be used to determine the FSI response of a generic prosthetic heart valve.
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