Vibroacoustic analysis of thick/multilayer panel using theory of elasticity

This paper presents a formulation based on the theory of elasticity for analyzing the vibroacoustic behaviour of thick and multilayered plates. The formulation is an extension of earlier work which focused on wave propagation in thick and multilayered plates. Sound transmission loss (STL) is a significant metric used in the design of aircraft side walls, though vibroacoustic performance (e.g., STL) is more often improved by add-ons after the structural design. The typical vibroacoustic metric is based on the vibroacoustic response of plates subjected to acoustic diffuse field. The STL calculated using the present theory of elasticity based formulation is compared with measurement results as well as with approaches based on plate theories and transfer matrix method in the literature. The frequency and material dependent recommendations for selecting an appropriate theory for vibroacoustic response are given. Single layer material as well as multilayered sandwich constructions are analysed. The vibroacoustic analysis tool under development will be used in the design of the side wall of an aerospace vehicle in the future.