< Back to previous page

Project

Development of novel vibro-acoustic metamaterials with structural load-carrying capacity through a model-based design methodology

The demand for enhanced static or dynamic performance, coupled with rising customer expectations and more stringent regulations, necessitates mechanical systems to comply with increasingly tightening and sometimes conflicting standards. The drive for robustness and reliability requires the systems to have an increased structural stiffness. This, however, contradicts with the trend towards lightweight designs, motivated by environmental concerns, and the growing emphasis on improving the vibro-acoustic performance, driven by concerns about noise pollution. 

In recent decades, meticulously engineered structures have emerged, balancing these conflicting requirements. Sandwich panels, composed of two face sheets and a core, have demonstrated the potential for a high stiffness-to-mass ratio while metamaterials have emerged as lightweight solutions, excelling in noise and vibration reduction within targeted frequency ranges. Recently, the fusion of both concepts, termed sandwich meta-structures, has emerged to harness the strengths and overcome the limitations of each independently. Despite recent advancements, a comprehensive understanding of the analysis, design, and potential of these sandwich meta-structures is lacking.

To develop sandwich meta-structures that balance the conflicting requirements of being lightweight, self-supporting, and achieving good acoustic performance, challenges need to be addressed on three different levels: the underlying physical phenomena of the structures are not thoroughly known, their analysis is cumbersome due to the associated computational cost and an automatic design framework is lacking. This dissertation addresses these challenges by (i) developing a wave mode contribution methodology which connects dispersion curves and sound transmission loss analyses, (ii) investigating the efficiency of two modal model reduction techniques for the acceleration of dispersion curves and (iii) proposing a vibro-acoustic topology optimization framework for the automated design of the sandwich meta-structure cores. The results of the research will enable novel engineered structures contributing to a quieter society without compromising the critical performance criteria of the dynamical systems.

Date:21 Aug 2020 →  Today
Keywords:noise and vibration control, model-based design, through-thickness metamaterials
Disciplines:Acoustics, noise and vibration engineering, Dynamics, vibration and vibration control, Computer aided engineering, simulation and design, Numerical modelling and design
Project type:PhD project