ABSTRACT
The application of Viscoelastic Materials (VEM) to ship structures is a common practice in the maritime field. This chapter describes the experimental setup employed for joint research, along with the theoretical formulation underlying the representation of the damping properties of VEM layers. The long-term objective of this research is to define a rational approach to the optimal application of VEM in marine structures, in order to control structure-borne noise on marine vehicles and achieve higher comfort levels on board. VEMs are applied to ship structures in order to increase the damping of the metal plates. When the VEM is bonded between the structure surface and an additional structural layer, the resulting composite material dissipates vibrational energy through shear strain. A. Ferrari & E. Rizzuto emphasized the lack of international standards for the experimental characterization of acoustic treatments for marine structures.
