Acoustic Black Holes for Noise and Vibration Control

The radiation of noise and vibration from vibrating structures is a major problem in a wide variety of industrial applications and the control of vibration and the associated acoustic radiation important in many sectors. To provide advanced capability in the reduction of such noise and vibration, this research project will investigate the development of Acoustic Black Holes (ABHs) for implementation in practical structures. ABHs, which utilise a tapering in the thickness of a structure to increase the damping, have been shown to achieve high levels of vibration control without increasing the mass or adding large quantities of damping material. However, the structural integrity of such ABHs has not been investigated to date and this is key to the use of this technology in practical applications. This project will address this knowledge gap, investigate the trade-off between performance and fatigue and enable the exploitation of this advanced noise and vibration control technology.