A meshless boundary method for Stokes flows with particles: Application to canalithiasis

• Published in: International journal for numerical methods in biomedical engineering Vol. 29; no. 11; pp. 1176 - 1191
• Main Authors: Boselli, F., Obrist, D., Kleiser, L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.11.2013; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Algorithms; BPPV; canalithiasis; Computer Simulation; Endolymph - physiology; endolymph flow; Finite element method; force coupling method; Humans; Hydrodynamics; Joining; Labyrinth Diseases - physiopathology; Low Reynolds number; Mathematical analysis; Mathematical models; Meshless methods; Models, Biological; multilayer MFS; Numerical analysis; particle-driven flow; Semicircular canals; Semicircular Canals - physiopathology; Stokes flow; force coupling method; multilayer MFS; particle-driven flow; BPPV; canalithiasis; endolymph flow; Stokes flow
• ISSN: 2040-7939; 2040-7947
• DOI: 10.1002/cnm.2564

SUMMARYWe propose to couple the method of fundamental solutions (MFS) to the force coupling method (FCM). The resulting method is an efficient, easy to program, meshless method for flows at low Reynolds numbers with finite‐size particles. In such an approach, the flow domain is extended across the solid particle phase, and the flow is approximated by a superposition of singular Stokeslets positioned outside the flow domain and finite‐size multipoles collocated with the particle. To improve the efficiency of the coupling, we propose new MFS quadratures for the computation of the volume integrals required for the FCM. These are exact and do not require the expensive evaluation of Stokeslets. The proposed method has been developed in the context of investigations of the fluid dynamics of canalithiasis, that is, a pathological condition of the semicircular canals of the inner ear. Numerical examples are presented to illustrate the applicability of the method. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. We propose to couple the method of fundamental solutions (MFS) to the force coupling method (FCM). The resulting method is an efficient, easy to program, meshless method for flows at low Reynolds numbers with finite‐size particles. The proposed method has been developed in the context of investigations of the fluid dynamics of canalithiasis, that is, a pathological condition of the semicircular canals of the inner ear.