Shape optimization of unconstrained viscoelastic layers using continuum finite elements

Of the many methods available for achieving effective vibration damping, adding viscoelastic lamina is a significant technique for vibration reduction. Recently, the desire to apportion this material in a way that will take the greatest advantage of its dissipative characteristics has led to studies in optimization. Optimal design for viscoelastically damped laminated beams and plates undergoing harmonic excitation has been examined in the literature, both for constrained and unconstrained damping layers. However, to the authors' knowledge, previous optimization studies have not used continuum based finite elements to model the structure, as is done here. The problem examined is the shape optimization of an unconstrained damping layer on an elastic structure, assuming a constant volume of damping material as a design constraint. The objective is to minimize the peak displacement. Several boundary conditions are examined for beam and plate type structures. The peak displacement and the loss factor of the optimized structure are compared with the uniform layer structure. Also, results obtained using realistic (frequency dependent) and constant viscoelastic material data are compared. The structures are modelled using continuum based elements in the ABAQUS Finite Element Code. The optimization code uses a Sequential Quadratic Programming algorithm. For most of the structures examined, order of magnitude improvement is seen as a result of optimizing the shape of the damping layer. Peak displacements are reduced by up to 98%. These results are quite robust, with the optimized damping layer achieving significantly better damping performance for a wide variety of cases examined.