On material properties and damping models for the dynamic modeling of the human middle ear by means of the Finite Element Method

An accurate dynamic model of the human middle ear is a valuable tool to better understand the mechanisms involved in the human hearing and some middle ear pathologies. It is also essential to the design and evaluation of implantable hearing devices, which may be connected to the middle ear structures. A considerable number of studies describe the development and validation of such models, and a review of these studies shows that there is a significant spread of material and dynamic properties used in the models. In this work, a detailed Finite Element model of the human middle ear, including tympanic membrane, complete ossicular chain, joints, and soft tissues (ligaments and tendons), is constructed and used to assess the influence of the input properties in the middle ear transfer functions. A frequency-dependent acoustic impedance at the oval window is used to represent the cochlea. Ossicle motion predicted by the model is compared with experimental data from the literature, and the effects of different material properties and damping models are investigated. Although variations in material properties can have an impact in the middle ear transfer functions, different damping models shown to have a much larger effect, possibly leading to considerable errors in the numerical predictions.