Finite-element modeling of vocal fold self-oscillations in interaction with vocal tract: Comparison of incompressible and compressible flow model

Finite-element modeling of self-sustained vocal fold oscillations during voice production has mostly considered the air as incompressible, due to numerical complexity. This study overcomes this limitation and studies influence compressibility on phonatory pressures, flow vibratory characteristics. A two-dimensional finite-element model is used, which incorporates layered structure, collisions, large deformations tissue, morphing fluid mesh according motion by arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian approach tract Czech vowel [i:] based data from magnetic resonance images. Unsteady viscous compressible or incompressible airflow described Navier-Stokes equations. An explicit coupling scheme with separated solvers for structure domain was used fluid-structure-acoustic interaction. Results simulations show clear differences in glottal vibration waveforms between flow. These results provide evidence existence acoustics (Level 1 interactions), well vibrations 2 interactions).