High frequency pressure propagation in viscoelastic tubes: a new experimental approach.

A new method for estimating the high-frequency characteristics of wave propagation (phase velocity and attenuation per wavelength) in hydraulic lines is presented in this work. It consists of measuring the ratio of pressure amplitudes at two distinct sections of an occluded tube at different frequencies, and minimizing the difference between the experimental pattern and the theoretical one predicted on the basis of the transmission line theory. In this work the method is used for estimating the high frequency propagation characteristics of two different latex tubes. The values obtained are then compared with those provided by the more traditional three-point pressure method. The results of our trials demonstrate that the new method furnishes reliable estimations of the asymptotic values of phase velocity and attenuation per wavelength, provided the frequencies used during the experiment are sufficiently high. Moreover, the method turns out quite robust as to the influence of noise and possible measurement errors. For this reason it seems particularly suitable for studying wave propagation under difficult experimental conditions, such as those met with when measurements are performed on blood vessels in vivo. Finally, some discrepancies between our experimental results and the predictions of the transmission line theory are pointed out, and their possible origin examined.