Optimization of passive constrained layer damping (PCLD) treatments for vibration reduction

An efficient method to reduce the frequency averaged transverse vibration level of a plate by optimizing the position of attached passive constrained layer damping PCLD is presented. This method uses a multilayer anisotropic plate model which is an equivalent single layer plate model (ESL) where transverse shear stresses and displacements are continuous at each layer's interfaces. Hence, for a laminate composed of an arbitrary number of layers, all the quantities are related to those of the first layer. The optimization process is based on the use of the ESL plate model combined with the genetic algorithm (GA) and Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS) algorithm implemented in a Rayleigh-Ritz resolution program. The convergence acceleration of the method is achieved thanks to the combination of genetic algorithm and the use of the ESL plate model instead of a three-dimensional mesh that requires more computing resource.