FINITE-ELEMENT MODELING AND SIMULATION OF THE HUMAN EARDRUM

Besides a knowledge of material properties geometric properties are ne eded to investigate the mechanical behavior of the human eardrum. Alth ough the geometry of the eardrum has been examined methodically, its c omposition has been described in the literature. The true surface geom etry of a cadaver specimen of the human eardrum was examined under a l aser-scanning microscope. Forty points (85 parameters) depicted the su rface of this cadaver specimen and formed the basis for a finite shell model. Furthermore, the coupling with the malleus and its suspension was simulated. Additional geometric and material parameters were chose n from the available literature. Both static behavior and the influenc e of a parameter variation to modal behavior of the finite element mod el were tested. ANSYS 5.1 software was used for this study.