Numerical simulation of acoustic wave interaction with inhomogeneous elastic bodies containing homogeneous inclusions.

Abstract

An extended version of the previously developed volumetric integral equation solver is presented, which is based on solving a coupled system of volumetric and surface equations describing, respectively, the inhomogeneous elastic object and the embedded piecewise homogeneous inclusions. The considered method is capable of accurate large‐scale numerical simulations involving anatomically realistic models of a human head characterized by complex geometrical details and large density contrasts. The main application of the approach consists in an accurate analysis of interaction of acoustic waves with human hearing system; in this case, precise modeling of the highly intricate structure of middle and inner ears is essential for reliable numerical simulations capable of discerning between different mechanisms of energy transfer to the human ear. The method allows us to treat the inner ear region as a piecewise homogeneous inclusion described by surface integral equations with displacement and traction fields as...