Akar, Özge, M.Sc.

The physics of bowed strings has been studied extensively since the 19th century. Hence, music instruments based on this kind of sound generation provide a reliable basis for further investigations. In the context of this research, structural dynamic studies of the violin are conducted via a finite element approach.
The core idea is the modelling of the bowed string movement. The bowing triggers the stick-slip phenomenon on a violin string, thus the so-called Helmholtz motion is performed by the string. A decoupled investigation of the other violin components like the bridge, the plates, etc., will be performed via numerical modal analysis. The bowed string model will be augmented by those components gradually and a coupled analysis will be performed. A comparison with experimental data will be conducted in order to verify the numerical results.
The suitability of bowed string instruments for structural dynamic considerations can be seen in the different physical effects that occur in string bowing. The proper definition of the contact areas all over the violin as well as the geometric nonlinearity of the string, torsional vibrations and the viscous behaviour of the rosin make the violin an versatile application example. The findings can be used for many other applications especially in the field of engineering.