ISVR-SPCG-120: Acoustic Black Holes for Control of Structural Vibration and Sound Radiation

A fully funded industrial CASE studentship is available for a high quality student to work in the area of acoustic black holes for noise and vibration control. This is an extremely exciting area of current research, which aims to improve upon traditional passive noise and vibration control treatments by providing an extremely lightweight and compact solution.

Acoustic black holes (ABHs), which are based on introducing carefully designed geometrical features to a structure, have been shown to achieve significant levels of structural damping in both beams and plates. The aim of this project is to develop the design, optimisation and practical implementation of ABHs and, therefore, facilitate their exploitation in complex practical structures. In particular, the project may investigate the interaction between multiple ABHs and also explore methods of optimising their locations on complex structures to minimize either structural vibration or sound radiation. Additionally, the integration of active technologies into the design of ABHs may also be explored. The specific focus of the research is likely to depend on the skills and interests of the successful candidate, but is will involve a mixture of theoretical, numerical and experimental investigation.

This project is supported by a large industrial collaborator, which provides a wide range of potential opportunities for the successful candidate. In particular, the strong industrial connection helps to ensure that the research will have a direct impact on real-world engineering.

This position also benefits from a tax-free stipend of between £17,000 and £20,000 depending on the successful candidate’s previous experience. This includes the standard EPSRC studentship of £14,057 and a top-up from the industrial sponsor.

The successful candidate will be based in the Signal Processing and Control Group of the Institute of Sound and Vibration Research. This is home to an internationally renowned research group working in diverse areas of signal processing and control.

If you wish to discuss any details of the project informally, please contact Dr Jordan Cheer, Signal Processing and Control Group, Email: [Email Address Removed], Tel: +44 (0) 2380 59 4934.