A Passive Approach to the Development of High Performance Composite Laminates with Improved Damping Properties

Abstract

This paper explores the use of a viscoelastic material as a passive and straightforward solution towards the development of a hybrid composite material with improved damping properties. A cork based composite was selected as viscoelastic material due to its low weight combined with excellent damping properties, showing a great potential for vibration control. Two forms of specimens were considered: 1) a sandwich consisting of carbon-epoxy facesheets and a cork agglomerate core; 2) a carbon-epoxy laminate with embedded cork granulates. The experimental determination of the loss factor was based on the bandwidth method, being a determinant step to obtain relevant dynamic properties of the material for the development of an accurate computational model based on the different types of geometries. Results are encouraging about the possible use of cork based composites as a viable passive solution to improve the damping properties of high performance composites according to the design requirements for particular applications.

A sustainable approach of damping treatment for aluminium honeycomb sandwich structures

“…Using trial and error approach, based on the damping model of equation (2), the damping parameters were obtained (see Table 2). The damping ratios of cork NL 10® were taken from results of a study conducted by Silva et al [28]. Table 2.…”

“…Using trial and error approach, based on the damping model of equation 2, the damping parameters were obtained (see Table 2). The damping ratios of cork NL 10 Ò were taken from results of a study conducted by Silva et al 27 Structural dynamic performance was estimated for all combinations with point force excitation; Figure 6(a) shows numerically estimated accelerance amplitude as a function of frequency. The amplitudes at first few resonances show varied performance of insert bonding.…”