Numerical Methods for Fluid–Structure Interaction Models of Aortic Valves

In the recent years, fluid structure interaction (FSI) models of the aortic valve and root have become increasingly common for two main reasons. The medical reason is that millions of patients suffer from aortic valve disorders. The second reason is that this challenging problem combines several fields of computational mechanics. The key motive for these modeling attempts is their potential to shed light on phenomena that cannot be captured in experiments or in simplified models of solely hemodynamics or structural mechanics. The aim of this paper is to review the state-of-the-art FSI methods in general and their application to the aortic valve in particular. A brief overview of the medical background is provided. The numerical methods and appropriate assumptions are then presented with examples of previous aortic valve models, followed by a discussion of the limitation of current models and recommendations for overcoming them in future research. The methods presented in this paper could help readers to choose the modelling approach and assumptions that are most suitable for their goals.