Numerical modeling of fluid-structure interaction in human vocal folds

The project is focused on mathematical modeling of airflow in human vocal folds. It builds on the research conducted by both the proposer and the host institution. The proposer and the host institution hope to exchange knowledge and compare the results of numerical simulations of airflow in human vocal folds, based on different mathematical methods (high-order finite difference method for compressible flow used at NTNU, finite element/finite volume method for incompressible flow employed by the proposer. The proposed three-month research stay shall specifically help to make progress in the following aspects of the proposer's research: * Assessment of the influence of different vocal fold geometries, various mesh topologies and of the presence or absence of the ventricular folds on the numerical results. In recent papers, vocal fold researchers have increasingly stressed the importance of ventricular folds on phonation. The impact of the geometrical variations on the flow patterns, however, has not yet b een quantified properly. * Extension of the numerical code to model the fully coupled system (instead of forced vocal fold oscillations). Obviously, this would shift the mathematical model considerably closer to reality. The applicant could have significa nt benefit from recent experience of the host institution in this field.