Dynamical modelling of the human larynx in phonation

Producing an accurate model of the human voice has been the goal of researchers for a very long time, but is extremely challenging due to the complexity surrounding the way in which the voice functions. One of the more complicated aspects of modelling the voice is the fluid dynamics of the airflow, by which the process of self-oscillation of the vocal folds is sustained. This airflow also provides the only means by which the ventricular bands (two vocal fold-like structures located a short distance above the vocal folds) are driven into self-oscillation. These have been found to play a significant role in various singing styles and in voice pathologies. This study considers the airflow and flow-structure interaction in an artificial up-scaled model of the human larynx, including self-oscillating vocal folds and fixed ventricular bands. As the majority of any significant fluid-structure interaction takes place between structures found within the larynx, this thesis is limited only to examining this component of the voice organ. Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) has been used to produce full field measurements of the flow velocity for the jet emerging from the oscillating vocal folds. An important advance in this study is the ability to observe the glottal jet from the point at which it emerges from the vocal folds, thus permitting a more complete view of the overall jet geometry within the laryngeal ventricle than in previous work. Ensemble-averaged PIV results are presented for the experimental model at different phase steps, both with and without ventricular bands, to examine their impact on the dynamics of the human larynx and the glottal jet. Finally, the three-dimensional nature of the glottal jet is considered in order to further understand and test currently held assumptions about this aspect of the jet dynamics. This was achieved by undertaking PIV in a plane perpendicular to that already considered. It is shown that the ventricular bands have an impact on the flow separation point of the glottal jet and on the deflection of the jet centreline. Furthermore, the dynamics of the vocal folds alters when ventricular bands are present, but the glottal jet is found to exhibit similar three-dimensional behaviour whether or not ventricular bands are present