Vibration isolation characteristics of finite periodic tetra-chiral lattice coating filled with internal resonators

Owing to their locally resonant mechanism, internal resonators are usually used to provide band gaps in low-frequency region for many types of periodic structures. In this study, internal resonators are used to improve the vibration attenuation ability of finite periodic tetra-chiral coating, enabling high reduction of the radiated sound power by a vibrating stiffened plate. Based on the Bloch theorem and finite element method, the band gap characteristics of tetra-chiral unit cells filled with and without internal resonators are analysed and compared to reveal the relationship between band gaps and vibration modes of such tetra-chiral unit cells. The rotational vibration of internal resonators can effectively strengthen the vibration attenuation ability of tetra-chiral lattice and extend the effective frequency range of vibration attenuation. Two tetra-chiral lattices with and without internal resonators are respectively designed and their vibration transmissibilities are measured using the hammering method. The experimental results confirm the vibration isolation effect of the internal resonators on the finite periodic tetra-chiral lattice. The tetra-chiral lattice as an acoustic coating is applied to a stiffened plate, and analysis results indicate that the internal resonators can obviously enhance the vibration attenuation ability of tetra-chiral lattice coating in the frequency range of the band gap corresponding to the rotating vibration mode of internal resonators. When the soft rubber with the internal resonators in tetra-chiral layers has gradient elastic modulus, the vibration attenuation ability and noise reduction of the tetra-chiral lattice coating are basically enhanced in the frequency range of the corresponding band gaps of tetra-chiral unit cells.