Converting CT scans of a stradivari violin to a FEM

Abstract

This study is part of an ongoing project to reverse engineer the structural and acoustic behavior of the Titian Stradivari violin. Several violins, ranging from some low quality factory fiddles, to those from Stradivari's "golden era" have been measured using a medical Computed Tomography (CT) scanner. This paper discusses the process used for converting the CT scan data into a Finite Element (FE) model. With comprehensive density data from the CT scans, accurate frequencies and modeshapes from a true 3D modal analysis and a complete acoustic scan over a sphere, the Titian FE model has unique potential to allow extraction of the elastic moduli of this violin without the disassembly needed to test the various substructures. There will also be a discussion of determining material properties to be used in the model that will be correlated with experimental data and updated at a future date. ©2010 Society for Experimental Mechanics Inc.