Topology Optimization of Plates with Constrained Layer Damping Treatments Using a Modified Guide-Weight Method

Purpose The full damping treatments have been widely used in many fields for structural vibration and noise reduction. Compared to the partial damping treatments, the full damping treatments have not significantly enhanced the effect of vibration reductions. It is essential to find the optimal damping treatments in lightweight designs. Moreover, the solution methods should be beneficial to engineering applications. Method In this work, a layerwise finite element (FE) model of plates with constrain layer damping (CLD) treatments is proposed, based on Kerwin's hypothesis. The dynamic characteristics of CLD system are analyzed by the modal strain energy (MSE) method. Based on the variable density method and the rational approximation of material properties (RAMP) interpolation scheme, a topology optimization model of the CLD system is built, and the optimal layouts are determined by the proposed modified guide-weight (MGW) method. The results are compared with optimal layouts using other common methods. Results The layerwise FE model, the topology optimization model and the MGW method are validated by numerical examples. The proposed layerwise FEM-MSE solutions converge to the analytical or semi-analytical solutions more accurately than the NASTRAN/MSE solutions. The optimization results indicate that the added weight of viscoelastic material (VEM) layer decreases by 50 percent, and meanwhile the modal loss factors can just decrease by 5.18 percent compared to plates with VEM full coverage in some cases. Conclusion The results of this work are beneficial to the vibration and sound radiation suppression of plates with CLD treatments in engineering applications.