A bass-reflex system is a type of loudspeaker design that uses a port or a vent to improve low-frequency performance. The port acts as a Helmholtz resonator which extends the bass response of the system. However, at high drive levels, the air inside the port can become turbulent and cause distortion, noise, and compression. From previous works, it is known that the geometry of the port plays a crucial role in reducing these unwanted effects. This paper serves to provide more insight into optimal port shape by performing several objective tests on a group of 5 different prototype port shapes based on findings from previous literature. Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) and port compression tests were conducted to determine which port presented the highest performance.

Attenuation of low frequency turbofan engine noise has been a challenging task in an industry that requires low weight and tightly-packed solutions. Without innovative advancements, the technology currently used will not be able to keep up with the increasingly stringent requirements on aircraft noise reduction. A need exists for novel technologies that will pave the way for the future of quiet aircraft. This thesis investigates acoustic metamaterials and their ability to achieve superior transmission loss characteristics not found in traditional honeycomb liners. The acoustic metamaterials investigated are an array of Helmholtz resonators with and without coupled cavities periodically-spaced along a duct wall. Analytical, numerical, and experimental developments of these acoustic metamaterial systems are used herein to study the effects of this technology on the transmission loss. Particularly focusing on analytical modeling will aid in understanding the underlying physics that governs their interesting transmission loss behavior. A deeper understanding of the physics will be used to aid in future acoustic metamaterial liner design. A parameter study is performed to understand the effects of the geometry, spacing, and number of resonators, as well as resonator cavity coupling on performance. Increased broadband transmission loss, particularly in low frequencies, is achieved through intelligent manipulation of these parameters. Acoustic metamaterials are shown to have appealing noise cancellation characteristics that prove to be effective for aircraft engine liner applications. / Master of Science / Aircraft noise reduction is an ongoing challenge for the aerospace industry. Without innovative advancements, the next generation of aircraft will not be able to keep up with increasingly stringent noise regulations; novel acoustic technology is needed to pave the way for a future of quieter aircraft. This thesis investigates acoustic metamaterials and their ability to achieve superior noise reduction over traditional methods. Modeling techniques were developed, and experimental tests were conducted to quantitatively evaluate the effectiveness of a new acoustic metamaterial system. The acoustic metamaterial design explored herein was proven to reduce noise effectively and shows promise for a world of quieter aircraft.

The noise propagating through the truck exhaust system is often attenuated by after treatment systems including truck silencers. The acoustic simulation of the truck silencers is usually based on pressure acoustics which does not include the influence of background flow. However, background flow can affect the acoustic attenuation ability of the truck silencers a lot. This thesis presents a simulation method for investigating the influence of the background mean flow on the silencers. In this method, the fluid information is first simulated with CFD software STAR-CCM+. The fluid data is then imported into COMSOL to conduct acoustic simulation using Linearized Navier-Stokes modulus. Flow noise is not simulated in this method in order to well capture the background mean flow's effect on the performance of silencer in a relatively short calculation time. Two simple silencer model groups are studied to validate this method. The first is a Helmholtz resonator. Another model group is expansion chambers with different setups. The sensitivity of the model towards different model setup is also studied. In the last part of the work, the method is applied to a common truck silencer model CAS1 F1gen, when this method counters challenge of high calculation load. A hybrid method is then developed, combining pressure acoustics and Linearized Navier-Stokes study, to simplify the method, reduce calculation time and at the same time capture the background mean flow's influence on silencers. / Bullret som fortplantar sig genom lastbilens avgassystem dämpas ofta av efterbehandlingssystem inklusive lastbilsljuddämpare. Den akustiska simuleringen av lastbilens ljuddämpare baseras vanligtvis på tryckakustik som inte inkluderar påverkan av bakgrundsflödet. Bakgrundsflödet kan dock påverka lastbilsljuddämparnas akustiska dämpningsförmåga mycket. Denna avhandling presenterar en simuleringsmetod för att undersöka påverkan av bakgrundsmedelflödet på ljuddämparna. I den här metoden simuleras vätskeinformationen först med CFD-programvaran STAR-CCM+. Vätskedata importeras sedan till COMSOL för att genomföra akustisk simulering med linjär Navier-Stokes modul. Flödesbrus simuleras inte i denna metod för att väl fånga bakgrundsmedelflödets effekt på ljuddämparens prestanda på en relativt kort beräkningstid. Två enkla ljuddämparmodellgrupper studeras för att validera denna metod. Den första är en Helmholtz-resonator. En annan modellgrupp är expansionskammare med olika inställningar. Modellens känslighet mot olika modellupplägg studeras också. I den sista delen av arbetet tillämpas metoden på en vanlig lastbilsljuddämpare modell CAS1 F1gen, då denna metod motverkar utmaning med hög beräkningsbelastning. En hybridmetod utvecklas sedan, som kombinerar tryckakustik och linjäriserad Navier-Stokes-studie, för att förenkla metoden, minska beräkningstiden och samtidigt fånga bakgrundsmedelflödets påverkan på ljuddämpare.

This thesis studies interactions between coupled acoustic domain(s) and enclosing rigid or elastic boundary. Boundary element-finite element (BE-FE) sound-structure interaction models are developed by coupling frequency domain BE acoustic and FE structural models using linear inviscid acoustic and elasticity theories. Flexibility in analyses is provided by discontinuous triangular and quadrilateral elements in the BE method (BEM), and a rectangular plate and a triangular shell element in the FE method (FEM). An analytical formulation is developed for an extended fundamental sound-structure interaction problem that involves locally reacting sound absorptive treatment on interior elastic boundary. This new formulation is built upon existing analytical solutions for a configuration known as the cavity-backed-plate problem. Results from developed analytical formulation are compared against those from independent BE-FE analyses. Analytical and BE-FE analysis results for a selection of cavity-plate(s) interaction cases are given. Single- and multi-domain BE analyses of cavity-Helmholtz resonator interaction are provided as an alternative to modal method of acoustoelasticity. A discrete-form of the existing BE acoustic particle velocity formulation is presented and demonstrated on a basic case study. Both the existing and the discretized BE acoustic particle velocity formulations could be utilized in acoustic studies. A selection of case studies involving fundamental configurations are studied both analytically and computationally (by BE or BE-FE methods). These studies could provide a basis for benchmark case development in the field of acoustics.

At the turn of the 20th century two contemporaries in their respective fields teamed up to develop a solution to an acoustic problem with the hard-surfaced vaulted ceilings being installed in many large spanning rooms being built at the time. In the spirit of their ingenuity, this research explores a 21st century solution to a similar problem in contemporary buildings; the desire for a durable, hard surface wall or ceiling material treatment that is more sound absorbent than other common surface treatments. To find a material answer to this desire an impedance tube was used to analyze the mid-frequency octave band absorption coefficients of various re-purposed existing materials and tiles created utilizing 3D print technology and Helmholtz resonators. Additionally, an empirical study of Helmholtz resonator geometry was performed by analyzing the sound absorption of resonant cavity shape changes. Finally, plots of the absorption coefficients for each material tested were created to provide a visual comparison against two common surface treatment materials, tectum and gypsum wall board. / Master of Architecture

This thesis investigates the impedance of acoustic liners, to attenuate noise originating from jet engines and enable compliance with international standards and regulations regarding noise from airplane jet engines. Experimental tests of two supplied liners were conducted in an impedance tube; one liner with known and predictable properties, and one liner with unknown properties. The tests included tonal excitations in the formats of stepped sine and random noise with frequencies within set boundaries. After post-processing of the captured data, the desired impedance could be analysed in terms of excitated frequencies and sound pressure levels. The conclusions from this project are that both of the liners deviated from their expected behavior, which was that liner 1 should have been unaffected by the alternated sound pressure levels, and liner 3 should have shown bigger affection due to the changed sound pressure level. Since the results were different than expected, there might have been minor sources of error during the measurements. It could be investigated if there is leakage from the mounting of the liners, or if the 3D printing resolution is sufficient. Because of limitations in time, there is more left in this project to investigate. Therefore, conducting similar studies where more frequencies, sound pressure levels, and multi-tonal measurements can be included, is suggested as future work.

Excessive fluid-borne noise in hydraulic systems is a problem the fluid power industry has long struggled to address. Traditional noise control devices such as Helmholtz resonators, tuning coils, and Herschel-Quincke tubes are generally too large for fluid power systems unless the speed of sound in the device can be reduced. A compliant lining can achieve this effect, but compliance (and lossy compliance) has had little attention in noise control in general, and in fluid power in particular. One means to achieve compliance in these devices, especially at elevated pressures, is through a liner made of syntactic foam, which in this case is a urethane host matrix with embedded hollow, polymer microspheres. The material properties at elevated pressure are unknown by the liner manufacturer, but are known to be pressure- and temperature-dependent. Therefore, the effect of hydrostatic pressures from 2.1-21 MPa and temperatures from 20-45 C on the liner properties, thus the device performance, are studied. For a Helmholtz resonator, a theoretical model is fit to experimentally-measured transmission loss of the device using a least-squares routine, which solves the inverse problem for the complex bulk modulus of the liner. These material properties are used to compare a predictive model of a tuning coil to experimental data, and in a parameter study of a Herschel-Quincke tube. The compliance of the liner is found to lower the effective sound speed by an order of magnitude and decrease the volume of the cavity of a Helmholtz resonator by up to two orders of magnitude. This work is expected to result is more compact noise control devices for fluid power systems.

Ce projet de doctorat consiste en la proposition d'une solution technologique d'un résonateur de Helmholtz adaptatif à volume variable, permettant ainsi de s'affranchir du caractère mono-fréquentiel des résonateurs de Helmholtz passifs. Le réglage de volume s'effectue grâce à l'utilisation d'une membrane en polymère électroactif (EAP), permettant ainsi d'accorder les résonances du résonateur de Helmholtz. Le comportement mécanique de ces matériaux est modifié lorsqu'ils sont stimulés par un champ électrique. Des améliorations significatives en perte par transmission acoustique sont obtenues en basses fréquences par deux effets: la variation de raideur de la membrane et l'augmentation de volume due à la déformation de la membrane. Des études numériques, analytiques et expérimentales sont réalisées pour déterminer le potentiel des concepts proposés. Enfin, une structure périodique contenant 9 résonateurs adaptatifs à membranes électroactives est étudiée en champs diffus permettant d'évaluer les performances acoustiques du concept distribué. / This main goal of the project consists in proposing a technological solution of an adaptive Helmholtz resonator with variable volume, which allows to overcome the mono-frequency character of passive Helmholtz resonators. The volume control is achieved by the use of an electroactive polymer membrane (EAP), allowing the resonances of the Helmholtz resonator to be tuned. The mechanical behavior of these materials changes when they are stimulated by an electric field. Significant improvements in acoustic transmission loss are obtained at low frequencies by two effects: the variation of stiffness of the membrane and the increase of volume due to the deformation of the membrane. Numerical, analytical and experimental studies are carried out to determine the potential of the proposed concepts. Finally, a periodic structure containing 9 adaptive resonators with electroactive membranes is studied in diffuse fields to evaluate the acoustic performances of the distributed concept.