Experimental measurement and modeling analysis on mechanical properties of tensor tympani tendon.

In this paper, we report mechanical properties of the tensor tympani tendon of human ear measured from uniaxial tensile, stress relaxation and failure tests. The hyperelastic Ogden model and digital image correlation method were employed to analyze experimental data. The constitutive equation of the tendon was derived through data iteration processes, and Young's modulus was presented as a function of stress. The viscoelastic property of the tendon was described by stress relaxation function and hysteresis. Furthermore, three-dimensional finite element analysis was carried out on five tendon models to investigate relationship between the structure and properties. The dimensions of the tendon were also measured by image processing techniques and presented with statistic significance. The structure and properties of the tensor tympani tendon reported in this study add new data into the study of ear tissue biomechanics.