In maritime vessels, it is desirable to minimise the structural and acoustic responses for several reasons, including passenger comfort, minimisation of crew fatigue, and in the case of military vessels, to avoid detection. The propeller-shafting system represents one of the most critical areas which must be addressed in order to reduce the low frequency acoustic signature. The propeller-shafting system is primarily excited by axial oscillations at the propeller. The force transmitted along the propeller-shafting system from these disturbances results in axial excitation of the hull and subsequent sound radiation. The aim of this thesis is to apply a combination of passive and active control techniques, in order to minimise the low frequency radiated noise signature of a pressure hull submerged in a fluid. Dynamic models of the propeller-shafting system, foundation and cylindrical hull including complicating factors such as fluid loading, bulkheads and onboard equipment are developed and described using the transmission matrix approach. This modular description enables greater flexibility for dynamic modelling of the propeller shafting system, and can be easily manipulated for future design modifications. The far-field radiated sound pressure from the submarine hull is evaluated and related to the force delivered to the hull by the propeller-shafting system. A passive optimisation scheme involving a genetic and general non-linear constrained algorithm is used to minimise fitness functions associated with the vibration of the propeller, vibration transmission to the hull and far-field radiated sound pressure over a low frequency range. This results in optimal resonance changer parameters for single and multiple resonance changers in a variety of configurations. A new quasi-adaptive resonance changer system is proposed and optimised to minimise the radiated sound pressure or propeller velocity. The optimal use of an adaptive resonance changer is investigated in both the frequency and time domains to reduce the hull velocity and subsequently the far-field radiated sound pressure. Fully active control is also evaluated by introducing a control force to the resonance changer with the aim of minimising either the propeller velocity or the radiated noise level. Finally, the concept of hybrid control is investigated by coupling passive, active and semi-active control techniques together to improve the overall performance.

In maritime vessels, it is desirable to minimise the structural and acoustic responses for several reasons, including passenger comfort, minimisation of crew fatigue, and in the case of military vessels, to avoid detection. The propeller-shafting system represents one of the most critical areas which must be addressed in order to reduce the low frequency acoustic signature. The propeller-shafting system is primarily excited by axial oscillations at the propeller. The force transmitted along the propeller-shafting system from these disturbances results in axial excitation of the hull and subsequent sound radiation. The aim of this thesis is to apply a combination of passive and active control techniques, in order to minimise the low frequency radiated noise signature of a pressure hull submerged in a fluid. Dynamic models of the propeller-shafting system, foundation and cylindrical hull including complicating factors such as fluid loading, bulkheads and onboard equipment are developed and described using the transmission matrix approach. This modular description enables greater flexibility for dynamic modelling of the propeller shafting system, and can be easily manipulated for future design modifications. The far-field radiated sound pressure from the submarine hull is evaluated and related to the force delivered to the hull by the propeller-shafting system. A passive optimisation scheme involving a genetic and general non-linear constrained algorithm is used to minimise fitness functions associated with the vibration of the propeller, vibration transmission to the hull and far-field radiated sound pressure over a low frequency range. This results in optimal resonance changer parameters for single and multiple resonance changers in a variety of configurations. A new quasi-adaptive resonance changer system is proposed and optimised to minimise the radiated sound pressure or propeller velocity. The optimal use of an adaptive resonance changer is investigated in both the frequency and time domains to reduce the hull velocity and subsequently the far-field radiated sound pressure. Fully active control is also evaluated by introducing a control force to the resonance changer with the aim of minimising either the propeller velocity or the radiated noise level. Finally, the concept of hybrid control is investigated by coupling passive, active and semi-active control techniques together to improve the overall performance.