Nektar1D: A Numerical Code for Solving 1-D Equations of Blood Flow

 

 

Nektar1D is a code for solving nonlinear, one-dimensional (1-D) equations of blood flow in any given network of compliant vessels, subject to boundary and initial conditions.

 

 

Understanding how the shapes of pressure and flow waves relate to the physical properties of the cardiovascular system is clinically relevant for studying and predicting cardiovascular diseases. Several numerical models have been introduced in the last decades, and can be used to compute blood flow and pressure waveforms to answer questions that cannot otherwise be addressed in vivo, due to ethical, technical and physiological reasons. Among these, 1-D modelling of blood vessels provides a good balance between accuracy and computational cost.

 

 

Nektar-1D allows to solve nonlinear, one-dimensional (1-D) equations of blood flow in any given network. It is highly customisable and allows to model different vascular districts. Furthermore, it allows to model the viscoelastic properties of the blood and each simulation requires only few minutes to run on a single computer. Finally, the accuracy of results is comparable to the one given by more complex and expensive 3D simulations.

 

 

Nektar-1D is available for licensing.