A coupled FEM-MFS method for the vibro-acoustic simulation of laminated poro-elastic shells

A new simulation method for the vibro-acoustic simulation of poro-elastic shells is presented. The proposed methods can be used to investigate arbitrary curved layered panels, as well as their interaction with the surrounding air. We employ a high-order finite element method (FEM) for the discretization of the shell structure. We assume that the shell geometry is given parametrically or implicitly. For both cases the exact geometry is used in the simulation. In order to discretize the fluid surrounding the structure, a variational variant of the method of fundamental solutions (MFS) is developed. Thus, the meshing of the fluid domain can be avoided and in the case of unbounded domains the Sommerfeld radiation condition is fulfilled. In order to simulate coupled fluid-structure interaction problems, the FEM and the MFS are combined to a coupled method. The implementation of the uncoupled FEM for the shell and the uncoupled MFS is verified against numerical examples based on the method of manufactured solutions. For the verification of the coupled method an example with a known exact solution is considered. In order to show the potential of the method sound transmission from cavities to exterior half-spaces is simulated.