Model-Scale Measurements of the Transmission and Radiation of Hull-Borne Vibrational Energy Using Frequency/Wavenumber Analysis

Abstract

Vibrating machinery in marine vessels is a source of unwanted noise in three areas of interest: far-field radiated noise, resulting in possible detection by passive sonar systems, near-field self noise, limiting performance of the vessel’s own sonar systems, and internal air-borne noise causing habitability problems in accommodation spaces. Noise from machines must enter the water via vibration of the hull and subsequent radiation; the radiation may be local to the machines, or vibrational energy may propagate along the hull and radiate at some distance from the source. This propagating vibrational wavefield can also be responsible for air-borne noise in accommodation areas some distance from the machinery.