Mejia, Juan2009-11-172009-11-1720062009-11-17http://hdl.handle.net/1828/1861Turbulent flow downstream of a bileaflet mechanical heart valve is investigated using digital particle image velocimetry. Evolution of flow structures during the systole and diastole phases of a typical cardiac cycle is characterized by obtaining global flow velocity measurements in multiple cross-sections of the flow field. Instantaneous and time-averaged patterns of flow velocity, vorticity, and streamline topology are used to illustrate the interaction between the unsteady vortices that results in elevation of shear stress levels. This image-based approach can potentially lead to development of methods of control of platelet activation and provides insight into the underlying flow physics.enAvailable to the World Wide Webheart valve prosthesisaortic valveUVic Subject Index::Sciences and Engineering::Engineering::Mechanical engineeringThesis