Topology Optimization of Poroelastic Structures to Minimize Mean Sound Pressure Levels
In optimization problems that aim to minimize noise, elastic structures have been designed so that fundamental eigenfrequencies depart from excitation frequencies. Moreover, for the sake of simplicity, sound pressure responses have rarely been calculated. In this paper, we propose a new topology optimization method for the design of poroelastic material layouts that minimize sound pressure levels by sound attenuation. In this method, the surrounding air is exactly modeled, and poroelastic material is located in a space filled with air to efficiently dissipate power. The Biot’s theory is incorporated into the optimization scheme to deal with poroelastic material, and we utilize a new bi-material continuum that consists of poroelastic material combined with an equivalent representation of air in the Biot’s theory. Several design problems are presented to demonstrate that the proposed method can provide optimal layouts of poroelastic material that reduce sound pressure levels within specified frequency ranges.