Development of a new finite element and parametric study for plates with compressible constrained layer damping

Constrained layer damping (CLD) is widely used in many structures for vibration reduction. It is necessary to model CLD structures precisely. Most existing research studies have modeled the structures as beams, which in many cases is not a sufficient approach. These existing models are based on the assumption that shear deformation in the core layer is the only source of damping in the structure. However, previous research has shown that other types of deformation in the core layer, such as deformations from longitudinal extension and transverse compression, can also be important. To more accurately model CLD, a new plate finite element is developed in this study by assuming that there is shear as well as longitudinal and transverse deformations in the damping layer. This model can be used to better predict the structure’s dynamic characteristics, such as resonant frequencies and modal loss factors. By comparing the new model to experimental results from the open literature, this newly developed plate finite element model is validated. With all three types of damping included in this new approach, it becomes possible to study the impact of various design parameters, such as the damping layer’s thickness. To that end, a parametric study is also conducted using the newly developed finite element for various design parameters.