Structural Design for Enhanced Noise Performance Using Genetic Algorithm and Other Optimization Techniques

The control of structural vibration in aeroplanes and ships is of great importance in achieving low noise targets. Currently, such control is effected using viscoelastic coating materials although much current research is concerned with active, anti-noise based control measures. Recent studies using Genetic Algorithm (GA) optimization methods in the field of Statistical Energy Analysis (SEA) suggest that it may be possible to design passive noise filtration characteristics into such structures. This paper reports initial work in this field: it compares GA’s with more classical optimization methods and shows how improvements in noise performance can be obtained for the simple structures considered.