Thermal effects on the sound transmission through aerospace composite structures

The temperature dependent material characteristics of a layered panel are experimentally measured using a Thermal Mechanical Analysis (TMA) configuration. The temperature dependent wave dispersion characteristics of the panel are subsequently computed using a Wave Finite Element Method (WFEM). The results are experimentally validated by measurements on the dynamic response of the structure for various temperatures. The WFEM predictions are eventually used within a wave-context SEA approach in order to calculate the temperature dependent Sound Transmission Loss (STL) of the layered panel. Results on the STL for temperatures varying between −100 °C to 160 °C are computed for a structure operating at sea level. The importance of the glass transition region on the panelʼs vibroacoustic response is exhibited and discussed. The acoustic transparency of a composite structure operating at higher altitudes is also discussed.