Optimum Stiffener Design to Reduce Broadband Vibration and Sound Radiation

Abstract

This paper presents a rib-stiffener pattern design method for reducing vibration energy and/or radiated acoustic power from a vibrating structure. Structural dynamics, acoustics and optimization are programmed in a unified code. To avoid difficulties in defining proper design variables such as the location, the number and the size of stiffeners to be attached on a structure, this paper adopts the idea of “topology optimization”, based on finite elements. This approach enables one to find an optimal rib-stiffener pattern by using a simple design variable, e.g., the density of finite elements. To illustrate this method, a rectangular plate with clamped edges is optimized to reduce the radiated sound power/kinetic energy and the results are compared to that the same plate but without rib-stiffeners.