Broadband vibration mitigation using a two-dimensional acoustic black hole phononic crystal

Abstract

Acoustic black holes (ABHs) are known as efficient structural dampers. Periodic lattices are identified as an efficient way to forbidden wave propagation in targeted frequency bandgaps (BGs). The paper demonstrates the possibility to merge the ABH effect with Bragg BGs. The geometrical layout leading to this double effect consists of a plate of periodically modulated thickness by a combination of cosine functions of the spatial coordinates constituting an ABH-like cell, coated with a thin damping layer. The resulting metamaterial allows the realization of solid, stiff, and nonresonant panels over a wide frequency range, including low frequencies, without increasing the mass. First, the band structure is analyzed in the conservative case (without damping layer) using a plane wave expansion model following Kirchhoff's assumptions. The results show the existence of low-frequency BGs that can be controlled by only three geometric parameters, which are defined on the type of lattice chosen (square or hexagonal). Next, a finite size panel is designed for the hexagonal lattice. Experimental characterization of the demonstrator with and without viscoelastic coating shows very attractive broadband vibration mitigation performances due to the fact that the dissipation produced by the ABH effect does not deter filtering effects produced in the BG.