Ribs effects in acoustic radiation of a gearbox — their modelling in a boundary element method

Boundary element methods are nowadays currently used for acoustic radiation prediction of complex mechanic structures. Many of those structures contain an important account of ribs. The present paper deals with the acoustic influence of ribs and their modelling in a boundary element method. The influence of ribs is theoreticaly discussed and three different physical effects are distinguished : the “vibrating”, the “obstacle” and the ”source” effects. Further the modelling of ribs in boundary element meshes is discussed. An application to an automotive gearbox housing is then proposed. The vibrating behaviour of the structure is calculated with a finite element model, which has been updated thanks to an experimental modal analysis. The boundary element modelling necessity and the acoustic effects of the different ribs of the gearbox housing are studied.     

An Efficient Semi-Analytical Method to Compute Displacements and Stresses in an Elastic Half-Space with a Hemispherical Pit

This paper presents an efficient method to calculate the displacement and stress fields in an isotropic elastic half-space having a hemispherical pit and being subject to gravity. The method is semi-analytical and takes advantage of the axisymmetry of the problem. The Boussinesq potentials are used to obtain an analytical solution in series form, which satisfies the equilibrium equations of elastostatics, traction-free boundary conditions on the infinite plane surface and decaying conditions at infinity. The boundary conditions on the free surface of the pit are then imposed numerically, by minimising a quadratic functional of surface elastic energy. The minimisation yields a symmetric and positive definite linear system of equations for the coefficients of the series, whose particular block structure allows its solution in an efficient and robust way. The convergence of the series is verified and the obtained semi-analytical solution is then evaluated, providing numerical results. The method is validated by comparing the semi-analytical solution with the numerical results obtained using a commercial finite element software.     

A hybrid method of modal synthesis using vibration tests

The assembly of structures along continuous boundaries presents great difficulty in the context of modal synthesis. In order to solve such problems, a method is proposed in which a hybrid model is defined reflecting the dynamic behavior of a structure loaded along a boundary. It is based on Weinstein's method and corresponds to a generalization of the impedance matrix method. Generalized boundary co-ordinates are defined from branch modes obtained by introducing mass loading along the boundary. Thus, the hybrid model can be derived from testing as a result of two independent modal identifications. The method permits high precision prediction of the influence of strong structural modifications. Thus, in the case of rectangular plates, it has been possible to find the modes of a cantilever plate and of a plate with stiffeners from the free modes.     

Improved eigenvalues for combined dynamical systems using a modified finite element discretization scheme

New approaches are presented to discretize an arbitrarily supported linear structure carrying various lumped attachments. Specifically, the exact eigendata, i.e., the exact natural frequencies and mode shapes, of the linear structure without the lumped attachments are first used to modify its finite element mass and stiffness matrix so that the eigensolutions of the discretized system coincide with the exact modes of vibration. This is achieved by identifying a set of minimum changes in the finite element system matrices and enforcing certain constraint conditions. Once the updated matrices for the linear structure are found, the finite element assembling technique is then used to include the lumped attachments by adding their parameters to the appropriate elements in the modified mass and stiffness matrices. Numerical experiments show that for the same number of elements, the proposed scheme returns higher natural frequencies that are substantially more accurate than those given by the finite element model. Alternatively, the proposed discretization scheme allows one to efficiently and accurately determine the higher natural frequencies of a combined system without increasing the number of elements in the finite element model.     

Modal synthesis via combined experimental and finite element techniques with consideration of rotational effects

This paper presents a simple and effective modal synthesis method via combined experimental and finite element techniques in which the “constraint modes method” is used to determine the dynamic properties of complex structures. To satisfy the rotational compatibility at the common boundary, an experimental procedure is proposed to measure the generalized dynamic compliance. To demonstrate the versatility and applicability of the techniques developed, two simple systems of beam-beam and plate-beam type structures are investigated. Excellent agreement is shown between the synthesized results and reference solutions obtained from analysis of the entire structure by using only the finite element technique.     

Carpet Cloak Design for Rough Surfaces

Conventional carpet cloak structures have been utilized to conceal the objects located on a planar perfect electric conductor surface. We systematically investigate hiding arbitrarily shaped objects on a rough surface, as a more general and practical scenario. In addition, the required cloak is designed considering different boundary conditions for the surface beneath the object, despite the previous studies. To achieve an invisibility cloak, taking advantage of linear coordinate transformation, a simple homogeneous material is obtained to realize the cloak structure, facilitating the fabrication processes. Numerical simulations validate the performance of the proposed cloaking method. Therefore, the proposed structure is capable of cloaking in more general and complicated scenarios.     

Improved damage detection method based on Element Modal Strain Damage Index using sparse measurement

An improved damage detection method based on the concept of Element Modal Strain Damage Index is introduced. The proposed methods attempts to address some of the weaknesses of the damage detection method based on modal curvatures. The use of numerical differentiation procedures is identified as the main cause for the poor performance of the modal curvature method under sparse and noisy measurement. An improved damage index that does not rely on numerical differentiation is then formulated. The proposed damage index can be calculated using only modal displacement and modal rotation. A penalty-based minimization approach is then used to find the unknown modal rotation using sparse and noisy modal displacement measurement. Numerical simulation and experiment validation confirm the relative advantage of the proposed method compared with modal curvature-based approaches.     

Hybrid finite element method applied to supersonic flutter of an empty or partially liquid-filled truncated conical shell

In this study, aeroelastic analysis of a truncated conical shell subjected to the external supersonic airflow is carried out. The structural model is based on a combination of linear Sanders thin shell theory and the classic finite element method. Linearized first-order potential (piston) theory with the curvature correction term is coupled with the structural model to account for pressure loading. The influence of stress stiffening due to internal or external pressure and axial compression is also taken into account. The fluid-filled effect is considered as a velocity potential variable at each node of the shell elements at the fluid-structure interface in terms of nodal elastic displacements. Aeroelastic equations using the hybrid finite element formulation are derived and solved numerically. The results are validated using numerical and theoretical data available in the literature. The analysis is accomplished for conical shells of different boundary conditions and cone angles. In all cases the conical shell loses its stability through coupled-mode flutter. This proposed hybrid finite element method can be used efficiently for design and analysis of conical shells employed in high speed aircraft structures.     

The attenuation of the higher-order cross-section modes in a duct with a thin porous layer

A numerical method for sound propagation of higher-order cross-sectional modes in a duct of arbitrary cross-section and boundary conditions with nonzero, complex acoustic admittance has been considered. This method assumes that the cross-section of the duct is uniform and that the duct is of a considerable length so that the longitudinal modes can be neglected. The problem is reduced to a two-dimensional (2D) finite element (FE) solution, from which a set of cross-sectional eigen-values and eigen-functions are determined. This result is used to obtain the modal frequencies, velocities and the attenuation coefficients. The 2D FE solution is then extended to three-dimensional via the normal mode decomposition technique. The numerical solution is validated against experimental data for sound propagation in a pipe with inner walls partially covered by coarse sand or granulated rubber. The values of the eigen-frequencies calculated from the proposed numerical model are validated against those predicted by the standard analytical solution for both a circular and rectangular pipe with rigid walls. It is shown that the considered numerical method is useful for predicting the sound pressure distribution, attenuation, and eigen-frequencies in a duct with acoustically nonrigid boundary conditions. The purpose of this work is to pave the way for the development of an efficient inverse problem solution for the remote characterization of the acoustic boundary conditions in natural and artificial waveguides.     

Sensitivity of a continuum vocal fold model to geometric parameters, constraints, and boundary conditions

The influence of key dimensional parameters, motion constraints, and boundary conditions on the modal properties of an idealized, continuum model of the vocal folds was investigated. The Ritz method and the finite element method were used for the analysis. The model's vibratory modes were determined to be most sensitive to changes in the anterior-posterior length of the vocal fold model, due to the influence of three-dimensional stress components acting in the transverse plane. Anterior/ posterior boundary conditions were found to have a significant influence on the vibratory response. Overestimation of modal frequencies resulted when vibration of the structure was restricted to the transverse plane. The overestimation of each modal frequency was proportional to the ratio of longitudinal to transverse Young's modulus, and was significant for ratio values less than 20.     

The R-function method for the free vibration analysis of thin orthotropic plates of arbitrary shape

Free flexural vibrations of homogeneous, thin, orthotropic plates of an arbitrary shape with mixed boundary conditions are studied using the R-function method. The proposed method is based on the use of the R-function theory and variational methods. In contrast to the widely used methods of the network type (finite differences, finite element, and boundary element methods), in the R-function method all the geometric information given in the boundary value problem statement is represented in an analytical form. This allows one to seek a solution in a form of some formulas called a solution structure. These solution structures contain some indefinite functional components that can be determined by using any variational method. A method of constructing the solution structures satisfying the required mixed boundary conditions for eigenvalue plate bending problems is described. Numerical examples for the vibration analysis of orthotropic plates of complex geometry with mixed boundary conditions for illustrating the aforementioned R-function method and comparison against the other methods are made to demonstrate its merits.     

A new analytical technique for vibration analysis of non-proportionally damped beams

Vibrating linear mechanical systems, in particular continuous systems, are often modelled considering proportional damping distributions only, although in many real situations this simplified approach does not describe the dynamics of the system with sufficient accuracy. In this paper an analytical method is given to take into account the effects of a more general viscous damping model, referred to as non-proportional damping, on a class of vibrating continuous systems. A state-form expansion applied in conjunction with a transfer matrix technique is adopted to extract the eigenvalues and to express the eigenfunctions in analytical form, i.e., complex modes corresponding to non-synchronous motions. Numerical examples are included in order to show the efficiency of the proposed method; non-proportional damping distributions of different type, such as internal and external lumped or distributed viscous damping, are tested on non-homogeneous Euler-Bernoulli beams in bending vibration with different boundary conditions. Finally, a discussion on root locus diagrams behaviour and on modal damping ratio significance for non-proportionally damped systems is presented.     

Finite element analysis of the dynamic behavior of a laminated windscreen with frequency dependent viscoelastic core

This paper presents numerical and experimental validation of results obtained by a shell finite element, which has been developed for modeling of the dynamic behavior of sandwich multilayered structures with a viscoelastic core. The proposed shell finite element is very easy to implement in existing finite element solvers, since it uses only the displacements as degrees of freedom at external faces and at inter-layer interfaces. The displacement field is linearly interpolated in the thickness direction of each layer, and analytical integration is made in the thickness direction in order to avoid meshing of each sandwich layer by solid elements. Only the two dimensional mid-surface of reference is meshed, facilitating the mesh generation task. A simplified modal approach using a real modal basis is also proposed to efficiently calculate the dynamic response of the sandwich structure. The proposed method reduces the memory size and computing time and takes into account the frequency-dependence of the polymer core mechanical properties. Results obtained by the proposed element in conjunction with the simplified modal method have been numerically and experimentally validated by comparison to results obtained by commercial software codes (MSC/nastran and ESI/rayon-vtm), and to measurements done on automobile windscreens.     

IDENTIFICATION OF MODAL PARAMETERS FROM MEASURED OUTPUT DATA USING VECTOR BACKWARD AUTOREGRESSIVE MODEL

In this paper, a modal identification system that is based on the vector backward autoregressive (VBAR) model has been developed for the identification of natural frequencies, damping ratios and mode shapes of structures from measured output data. The modal identification using forward autoregressive approach has some problems in discriminating the structure modes from spurious modes. On the contrary, the VBAR approach provides a determinate boundary for the separation of system modes from spurious modes, and an eigenvalue filter for the selection of physical modes is existent in the proposed method. For convenience of application, the backward state equation established from VBAR model is transformed into a forward state equation, which is termed as transformed VFAR model in this paper. In addition, the extraction of equivalent system matrix of state equation of motion for structures from the transformed VFAR model has been developed, and then the normal modes can be calculated from the identified equivalent system matrix. Two examples of modal identification are carried out to demonstrate the availability and effectiveness of the proposed backward approach: (1) Numerical modal identification for a three-degree-of-freedom dynamic system with noise level in 20% of r.m.s of measured output data; (2) experimental modal identification of a cantilever beam. Finally, to show the advantage of the proposed VBAR approach on the selection of physical modes, the modal identification by stochastic subspace method was performed. The results from both methods are compared.     

A versatile approach to the study of the transient response of a submerged thin shell

The transient response of submerged two-dimensional thin shell subjected to weak acoustical or mechanical excitations is addressed in this paper. The proposed approach is first exposed in a detailed manner: it is based on Laplace transform in time, in vacuo eigenvector expansion with time-dependent coefficients for the structural dynamics and boundary-integral formulation for the fluid. The projection of the fluid pressure on the in vacuo eigenvectors leads to a fully coupled system involving the modal time-dependent displacement coefficients, which are the problem unknowns. They are simply determined by matrix inversion in the Laplace domain. Application of the method to the response of a two-dimensional immersed shell to a weak acoustical excitation is then exposed: the proposed test-case corresponds to the design of immersed structures subjected to underwater explosions, which is of paramount importance in naval shipbuilding. Comparison of a numerical calculation based on the proposed approach with an analytical solution is exposed; versatility of the method is also highlighted by referring to “classical” FEM/FEM or FEM/BEM simulations. As a conspicuous feature of the method, calculation of the fluid response functions corresponding to a given geometry has to be performed once, allowing various simulations for different material properties of the structure, as well as for various excitations on the structure. This versatile approach can therefore be efficiently and extensively used for design purposes.     

无网格方法施加本质边界条件的主从自由度法

以SPH(smoothed particle hydrodynamics)方法为例,把无网格法中的本质边界条件和复合材料界面连续条件视为多点约束(multi-point constraint,MPC),用主从自由度法(master-slave method)来处理.典型的基体-夹杂复合材料的线弹性问题算例结果表明,与罚函数法相比,采用主从自由度法的精度更高,适用范围更广.     

水平阵信号压缩感知用于简正波分离

针对水平阵信号简正波分离过程中常规波束形成分辨率低以及warping模态滤波不适用于复杂声信号的问题,提出水平阵信号压缩感知用于简正波分离的方法。利用压缩感知在方位估计中的高分辨特性,通过估计水平阵接收信号在频率方位角上的二维分布,分离得到各阶简正波的方位谱,并逆Fourier变换得到时域波形。仿真孔径1 km、阵元间隔10 m水平阵接收20~200 Hz伪随机声信号和脉冲声信号,所提方法分离出的各阶简正波与理论波形的相关系数在0.97~1.0。对2011年北黄海声学实验中的海底28元水平阵接收的气枪信号,在合成至1 km孔径后使用压缩感知方法分离简正波,其与warping模态滤波分离得的前5阶简正波相关系数在0.82~0.93。仿真与实验都说明了水平阵信号压缩感知简正波分离方法的有效性。      

A method for analyzing vibration power absorption density in human fingertip

In the current study, we hypothesize that the vibration power absorption density (VPAD) is a good measure for the vibration exposure intensity of the soft tissues of the fingers. In order to calculate the VPAD at a fingertip, we proposed a hybrid modeling approach, which combines a 2D finite element (FE) model with a lumped parameter model. Whereas the lumped components are used to represent the global biodynamic characteristics of the hand-arm system, the FE component is used to predict the detailed stresses, strains, and VPAD in the fingertip. The lumped parameters are determined by using the vibration transmissibilities measured at the fingertip, while the material parameters of the soft and hard tissues of the FE model are adopted from the published experimental data. The proposed model was applied to predict the distributions of dynamic displacement, velocity, and VPAD in the soft tissues of the fingertip. Furthermore, we have derived the frequency weighting based on the VPAD of the soft tissue. The preliminary analysis indicated that the VPAD-based frequency weighting is substantially different from the ISO weighting in that the ISO frequency weighting emphasizes the effect of the vibration at frequencies lower than 25 Hz whereas the VPAD-based weighting generally emphasizes the resonant responses of the finger. Our analysis indicated that the VPAD-based weighting was fairly consistent with the finger surface vibration transmissibility at frequencies greater than the first resonance, suggesting that the finger surface transmissibility may be used as an alternative frequency weighting for assessing the finger vibration exposure. The proposed method provides a practical and efficient tool to simulate the detailed biodynamic responses of a complex biological system to vibration.     

Vibration analysis of planar serial-frame structures

A hybrid analytical/numerical method is proposed that permits the efficient dynamic analysis of planar serial-frame structures. The method utilizes a numerical implementation of a transfer matrix solution to the equation of motion. By analyzing the transverse and longitudinal motions of each segment simultaneously and considering the compatibility requirements across each frame angle, the undetermined variables of the entire frame structure system can be reduced to six which can be determined by application of the boundary conditions. The main feature of this method is to decrease the dimensions of the matrix involved in the finite element methods and certain other analytical methods.     

Transient response with arbitrary initial conditions using the DFT

It is more economic to compute the response of linear systems with Fourier methods using fast Fourier transform algorithms than with step-by-step numerical integration methods. However, one drawback of Fourier methods is the difficulty in computing transient responses with arbitrary initial conditions (ICs). When the system is modeled with constant-parameter ordinary differential equations, the response can be obtained in closed form but, when using spectral and boundary element methods, this is no longer possible. In this paper, a technique consisting of taking advantage of the periodic character of the discrete Fourier transform to include an ad hoc force pulse to impose the ICs is proposed. The technique is presented in detail and used to compute the responses of single and multiple degree-of-freedom lumped parameter systems. The responses are compared with step-by-step integration solutions.