Title: Characterisation of the nonlinear elastic behaviour of guinea pig tympanic membrane using micro-fringe projection

Authors: Junfeng Liang; Boshen Fu; Huiyang Luo; Don Nakmali; Rong Zhu Gan; Hongbing Lu

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080, USA ' School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080, USA ' School of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA ' School of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080, USA

Abstract: Mechanical properties of tympanic membrane (TM) are crucial inputs for modelling acoustic transmission through the ear. In this paper a combined experimental and numerical approach was used to determine the mechanical properties of guinea pig TM under quasi-static condition based on the response of the TM to static pressure. A guinea pig bulla was prepared and the intact TM was subjected to both positive and negative pressures while its topography was measured using the micro-fringe projection technique. Images of the deformed TM were acquired and processed with a phase-shift method to reconstruct the surface profile and determine the volume deformation of the TM under pressures. Finite element method with the implementation of a hyperelastic model was established. The simulated TM deformations under applied pressures demonstrated a good agreement with the measured curves of the pressure-volume displacement relationship. The Young's modulus of guinea pig TM from seven bullas was determined as 15.2-28.3 MPa up to a strain level of 25%, and it changes with stress or strain.

Keywords: guinea pigs; tympanic membrane; micro-fringe projection; finite element method; FEM; static pressure; volume displacement; hyperelastic modelling; nonlinear elastic behaviour; acoustic transmission; ears; surface profile; volume deformation; stress; strain.

DOI: 10.1504/IJECB.2015.074740

International Journal of Experimental and Computational Biomechanics, 2015 Vol.3 No.4, pp.319 - 344

Received: 15 Apr 2015
Accepted: 16 Oct 2015
Published online: 16 Feb 2016 *

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