Vibration control is critical in a variety of applications and there is an increasing demand for lightweight vibration control treatments in industries including automotive and aerospace. Acoustic black holes are a vibration control treatment that, uniquely, through a reduction in the weight of the structure can be used to reduce the level of vibrations in the structure. Acoustic black holes utilise a change in thickness that enables high levels of passive energy dissipation using a thin damping layer, or they can be combined with active elements for improved performance. Structural fatigue is, however, a known concern for acoustic black holes due to the tapered section becoming very thin. At Venturefest we will be presenting a novel solution to reducing the severity of fatigue. We are looking forward to speaking to people from other industries and seeing a broader range of potential areas in which this research could be used.
