Measuring damping properties of viscoelastic materials for marine applications

Description

An important objective in the shipbuilding industry, particularly as regards the construction of passenger and cruise vessels, is the reduction of vibration levels to improve the comfort onboard. Among other means of achieving the target, layers of viscoelastic materials are extensively used in shipbuilding. This paper describes how the damping properties of such materials can be characterised experimentally. The different ways of performing tests are discussed, as well the factors affecting results. Such effects relate to the 'environmental' conditions of the tests (constraints, temperature, position of the instruments,…), and to phenomena internal to the materials themselves (ageing, slowly progressing physical/chemical processes). All discussions are based on experimental results derived in several years of activity at DINAV in cooperation with Manufacturers and Shipyards.

Additional details