Applications of the Mortar Finite Element Method in Vibroacoustics and Flow Induced Noise Computations

Abstract

The Mortar Finite Element Method allows the coupling of two or more sub-domains with quite different mesh sizes. We exploit this capability and apply it to real engineering applications in vibroacoustics and aeroacustics. Therewith, we gain the flexibility to choose for each sub-domain an optimal grid. At the nonconforming interfaces appropriate coupling conditions ensure that the physical constraints are captured accurately. With this enhanced method we can couple along the interface the mechanical with the acoustic field as in the case of vibroacoustics and furthermore, we can also couple the same physical field, e.g. acoustics, computed on different grids. The applications will clearly demonstrate the superiority of the Mortar Finite Element Method over the standard Finite Element Method both concerning the flexibility for the mesh generation as well as the computational time.