Vibrational energy flow in carbon composite structures

Structures made from carbon composite materials are rapidly replacing metallic ones in the automotive industry because of their high strength-to-mass ratio. The goal of this study is to enhance acoustic comfort of cars made from carbon composites by comparing various carbon composites in order to find the most suitable composite in terms of mechanical and dynamic properties. To achieve this goal, the structural intensity method is implemented. This method can give information concerning the paths of energy propagated through structures and the localization of vibration sources and sinks. The significance of the present research is that it takes into account the effect of the material damping on the dissipation of the energy in a structure. The damping of the composite is presented as a function of its macro mechanical properties, frequency, geometry, and boundary conditions. The damping values are calculated from a 2D analytical model based on the laminate theory and the modal strain energy method. The benefit of this research for acoustics is that it demonstrates the effect of material properties on the passive control of vibrations in a structure. Consequently, vibrational energy propagated in carbon composite structures is reduced, and less noise is radiated.