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Roussos, L. A.

Publications and source records attributed to Roussos, L. A..

Predicted and measured strain response of rectangular panels due to acoustic loading

The objective of the research described in this paper is to assess the accuracy of classical linear acceleration/strain prediction theory for flat, rectangular panels excited by low level, acoustic plane waves. Predictions for both aluminum and laminated composite panels were based on the Ritz method using an orthotropic, multi-mode analysis with rotational springs on the boundaries. The measured natural frequencies and critical damping ratio of the panels were empirial inputs to the model. The comparison between measured and predicted acceleration was very good. Although a factor of three bias error was found between measured and predicted strains, the model was good for predicting the trends in the spatial variation in strain across the panel.

Roussos, L. A.

Consideration of some factors affecting low-frequency fuselage noise transmission for propeller aircraft

Possible reasons for disagreement between measured and predicted trends of sidewall noise transmission at low frequency are investigated using simplified analysis methods. An analytical model combining incident plane acoustic waves with an infinite flat panel is used to study the effects of sound incidence angle, plate structural properties, frequency, absorption, and the difference between noise reduction and transmission loss. Analysis shows that these factors have significant effects on noise transmission but they do not account for the differences between measured and predicted trends at low frequencies. An analytical model combining an infinite flat plate with a normally incident acoustic wave having exponentially decaying magnitude along one coordinate is used to study the effect of a localized source distribution such as is associated with propeller noise. Results show that the localization brings the predicted low-frequency trend of noise transmission into better agreement with measured propeller results. This effect is independent of low-frequency stiffness effects that have been previously reported to be associated with boundary conditions.

Mixson, J. S.

Effect of external pressure environment on the internal noise level due to a source inside a cylindrical tank

A small cylindrical tank was used to study the effect on the noise environment within a tank of conditions of atmospheric (sea level) pressure or vacuum environments on the exterior. Experimentally determined absorption coefficients were used to calculate transmission loss, transmissibility coefficients and the sound pressure (noise) level differences in the interior. The noise level differences were also measured directly for the two exterior environments and compared to various analytical approximations with limited agreement. Trend study curves indicated that if the tank transmission loss is above 25 dB, the difference in interior noise level between the vacuum and ambient pressure conditions are less than 2 dB.

Clevenson, S. A.

Noise transmission characteristics of advanced composite structural materials

Theoretical and experimental results from a study of noise transmission properties of large unstiffened panels which simulated aircraft outer skins and interior trim are reported. The investigation was performed to define the effects of composite structures on fuselage noise transmission relative to the transmissivity of aluminum structures. One-third octave band measurements were obtained in a two-room facility for measuring transmission loss. Center frequencies of at least 100 Hz were used, and 14 different composite panels, including samples of Kevlar, fiberglass, and graphite, were examined. Details of the composites fabrication techniques are provided, and an infinite panel theory transmission loss model is defined. The flexural rigidities of tape and fabric panels are calculated, as are the transmission losses, the coincidence frequency, and the critical frequency. The theory was determined to be accurate to within 1 dB of the measured transmission loss for mass-controlled specimens.

Roussos, L. A.

Solution Accounts for Structural Damping

New analytical technique determines dynamic response of damped structures dominated by internal structural damping mechanisms. Though structural damping is often negligible compared with damping due to air friction and friction in joints, structural damping can be of major importance in structures having heavy damping treatments or in outer-space structures. Finite-element model includes nonlinear, nonviscous internal damping.

Roussos, L. A.

Laboratory study of efficient add-on treatments for interior noise control in light aircraft

Experimental and theoretical studies of the transmission loss (TL) of 1.15 x 1.46 m flat stiffened-skin aluminum panels are described. Panel configurations included panels with no treatment and eight combinations of treatments consisting of a fiberglass-septum layer, a foam-foil damping material, and a plywood double wall trim panel. Measured TL of the untreated panel and the panel with a damping layer showed characteristics of the double mass law: at low frequencies the TL followed a mass law trend associated with the average mass of both skin and stiffness, while at higher frequencies the TL followed a mass law trend associated with skin mass only. A comparison of TL for panels treated with a damping layer, a fiberglass layer, or a trim panel showed that the effects of damping are frequency dependent with some performing better below 500 Hz and others performing better above 500 Hz. Treatment combinations showed that two treatments with the same mass could have TL values different by about 10 dB, while other combinations having weights different by a factor of two could have TL values within a few dB over most of the frequency range. The highest TL values (50 dB at 1000 Hz) were obtained with a treatment consisting of a fiberglass layer, a trim panel, and damping layers on both the stiffened panel and the trim panel.

Mixson, J. S.

A finite element model with nonviscous damping

A constitutive law by which structural damping is modeled as a relationship between stress, strain, and strain rate in a material is used in conjunction with the finite element method to develop general integral expressions for viscous and nonviscous damping matrices. To solve the set of nonlinear equations resulting from the presence of nonviscous damping, a solution technique is developed by modifying the Newmark method to accommodate an iterative solution and treat the nonviscous damping as a pseudo-force. The technique is then checked for accuracy and convergence in single- and multi-degree-of-freedom problems, and is found to be accurate and efficient for initial-condition problems with small nonviscous damping.

Roussos, L. A.

Acceleration response of fuselage sidewall panels on a twin-engine, light aircraft

A response analysis is carried out to determine the predictability of sidewall accelerations in aircraft, to investigate whether it is necessary to model the exterior pressure as a traveling wave as opposed to a standing wave, and to determine the importance of parameters describing the exterior pressure and sidewall panel. Prediction of the acceleration response is found to be improved by including traveling wave and spatial variation effects of the exterior pressure in the model. Variations with propeller rpm are found to be important for the longer panel.

Roussos, L. A.