Our work is motivated by ideas about the pathogenesis of syringomyelia. This is a serious disease characterized by the appearance of longitudinal cavities within the spinal cord. Its causes are unknown, but pressure propagation is probably implicated. We have developed an inviscid theory for the propagation of pressure waves in co-axial, fluid-filled, elastic tubes. This is intended as a simple model of the intraspinal cerebrospinal-fluid system. Our approach is based on the classic theory for the propagation of longitudinal waves in single, fluid-filled, elastic tubes. We show that for small-amplitude waves the governing equations reduce to the classic wave equation. The wave speed is found to be a strong function of the ratio of the tubes’ cross-sectional areas. It is found that the leading edge of a transmural pressure pulse tends to generate compressive waves with converging wave fronts. Consequently, the leading edge of the presure pulse steepens to form a shock-like elastic jump. A weakly nonlinear theory is developed for such an elastic jump.
Pressure Wave Propagation in Fluid-Filled Co-Axial Elastic Tubes Part 1: Basic Theory
Contributed by the Bioengineering Division for publication in the JOURNAL OF BIOMECHANICAL ENGINEERING. Manuscript received by the Bioengineering Division November 1, 2002; revision received May 19, 2003. Associate Editor: C. R. Ethier.
- Views Icon Views
- Share Icon Share
- Search Site
Berkouk , K., Carpenter , P. W., and Lucey, A. D. (January 9, 2004). "Pressure Wave Propagation in Fluid-Filled Co-Axial Elastic Tubes Part 1: Basic Theory ." ASME. J Biomech Eng. December 2003; 125(6): 852–856. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.1634280
Download citation file: