Research
Computational methods for fluid-structure interaction
The development of accurate numerical techniques to investigate the interaction of an elastic structure and a complex flow is still a challenging task in computational mechanics. This is especially true for engineering applications, where the request of high flexibility of the method often clashes with the need of accurate and non-dissipative numerical methods to capture the physics of the involved phenomena. We have been focusing our endeavor in the modeling of shell structures immersed in incompressible flows. The interplay between large displacement fields and nearly separated flows raises the need for a comprehensive computational framework with demanding requirements in terms of stability and accuracy. Applications are focused on vortex-induced vibration dyanmics and locomotion problems.
Numerical modeling of cardiovascular flows
Cardiovascular disorders are nowadays the leading cause of death in developed countries and they make a substantial contribution to morbidity with huge economic and societal costs. The recent advancements of computational engineering in this fields offers a huge potential for further considerable improvement. In this connection, large-scale numerical simulations of cardiovascular hemodynamics could be used to perform patient-specific virtual trials for the assessment of novel technological solutions and for the development of modern risk stratification criteria. Our numerical investigations on the fluid-dynamics downstream of prosthetic aortic valves are paradigmatic examples. High-fidelity simulations, involving the fluid-structure interaction, provided meaningful insights on the correlation between the altered hemodynamics and thromboembolic complications.
Modeling of cell transport in microfluidics
Microfluidics has demonstrated enormous potential through its role in recent advances in biological sciences. However, designing a new and customized microfluidic platform, gaining a better understanding of its function and the underlying physics still pose significant technical challenges. Experimental approaches are expensive and laborious. Numerical approaches, on the other hand, are now recognized as a reliable method for reducing cost, time, and effort and being relatively accurate. To this scope, the research group is investing in a combined Lattice-Boltzmann/dynamic-Immersed–Boundary (IB) method due to its ability to predict the transport of massive capsules within arbitrarily shaped immersed geometries. The fluid evolution is obtained through a BGK-lattice Boltzmann scheme for the Navier-Stokes equation in the incompressible regime.
Electrophysiological activation of soft tissues
The electrophysiological stimulation of biological tissues dictates the fulfillment of many physiological functionalities. In the last decades, the mechanisms behind the tissue excitation grasped the interest of several scientific communities both as potential source of diseases, and as a crucial part for layer-wise tissue engineering. In this scenario, the development of a computational platform able to replicate complex electrophyciological activation patterns and the consequent muscle contraction can be a valuable tool for preliminary design space exploration. It can likewise support the dissection of complex biologic events into simple mechanistic functionalities to be mimicked by engineered solutions. Our scientific contribution takes place both in the development of efficient numerical methods for the excitation-contraction dynamics, as well as in the exploration of biological events by organ-scale simulations.