Fully Coupled Fluid-Structure Interaction Simulations of Vocal Fold Vibration

Abstract

The human vocal folds are modeled and simulated using a fully coupled fluid-structure interaction method. This numerical approach is efficient in simulating fluid and deformable structure interactions. The two domains are fully coupled using an interpolation scheme without expensive mesh updating or re-meshing. The method has been validated through rigorous convergence and accuracy tests. The response of the fluid affects the elastic structure deformation and vice versa. The goal of this study is to utilize this numerical tool to examine the entire fluid-structure system and predict the motion and vocal folds by providing constant inlet and outlet pressure. The input parameters and material properties, i.e. elastic and density of the vocal folds used in the model are physiological. In our numerical results, the glottal jet can be clearly identified; the corresponding pressure field distribution and velocity field are presented.