Numerical prediction of thermoacoustic responses of CNT reinforced natural (luffa) fibre/epoxy hybrid composite and experimental verification

Abstract

This research reported the thermoacoustic radiation characteristics of luffa fibre/epoxy hybridised with MW-CNT (multi-walled carbon nanotube) composite flat panel structures. The acoustic responses are evaluated under harmonic excitation and uniform thermal environments. The panel model is derived from a coupled scheme by merging two different computational techniques, i.e., finite element method, FEM (structural modelling) and boundary element method, BEM (fluid part), via higher-order deformation kinematics. Additionally, the higher-order panel model utilises an equivalent single-layer theory for computational purposes. The responses are obtained through MATLAB computer code from the derived mathematical formulation by customising the parameters (geometry and material). A few frequency responses with and without environmental effects are compared with experimental data from home-grown experimentation facilities. The impact of individual parameters is thoroughly analysed, and highlighted their significance in controlling the panel’s acoustic radiation behaviour. The findings of this study contribute to the understanding of the acoustic radiation properties of luffa fibre/epoxy hybridised with MW-CNT composite flat panels. The higher-order coupled FEM-BEM scheme-based tailored MATLAB code also provides a reliable computational tool for analysing various composite structural components for futuristic design. This research would be a valuable reference for optimising composite flat panel structural design and performance in engineering applications requiring enhanced vibroacoustic control.