Design and optimization of periodic structure mechanical filter in suppression of foundation resonances

The paper describes the development of periodic structure mechanical filter (PSMF) that has the potential to reduce vibration transmission and sound radiation at resonances of the foundation in a two-degree-of-freedom (2dof) vibration isolation system by using the band gaps of the periodic structure. The transmission matrix method is used to model vibration transmission of the 2dof system and an analytical expression of sound radiation from the foundation plate is derived. The multi-layer PSMF composed of rigid plates and curved beams is represented by an equivalent m-k-c (viscous damping) model. The propagation/attenuation zones and attenuation ability of PSMF are expressed in the propagation scenario and the iso-attenuation curves by exploiting the unit cell transfer matrix invariant. Influence of the number of unit cells, viscous damping on the mobility of PSMF and vibro-acoustic behavior of the 2dof system is extensively studied. And under the constraints of installation space and stability of the whole system, the more the number of the unit cells, the better attenuation ability in the band gap can be obtained. The interaction between PSMF and the 2dof system is analyzed by the substructure method and contribution of frequency component from different substructures is identified by setting different level of damping for each substructure. Factors influencing the first mounting frequency of the 2dof system with PSMF are discussed and three styles of installing PSMF are studied. The performance of piecewise periodic PSMF and quasi-periodic PSMF is also studied in an attempt to eliminate new-born resonances by PSMF. An optimization scheme involving sensitivity analysis is applied to obtain the optimal values of m and k. And the optimization is effective. The experiment of detecting the band gap of PSMF and the comparative trial of a 2dof system with a flexible plate as the foundation with/without PSMF are carried out. Both numerical and experimental simulation results have demonstrated that by use of PSMF, the vibration transmission at resonances is reduced and the radiation of the foundation at resonances is suppressed.