Acoustic Black Holes: the new frontier for soundproofing on board ships

Vibration and noise control plays an important role on board ships, thus the research of new materials capable to reach new targets is of paramount interest. The use of Acoustic Black Hole (ABH) for structural de-sign in controlling vibration and noise is quite recent. The governing principle of operation of the ABH is based on the reshaping of a plate following a power-law profile which makes the velocity of an incident wave decrease while propagating along the structure. This mechanism, accompanied by energy absorption in the area of low velocity via inserted absorbing materials, makes the ABH an interesting solution for vibra-tion and noise reduction. The implementation of ABH in shipbuilding has not been rated yet. In this study, the investigation of the state of the art of ABH is addressed. Then, two solutions are identified for the reduc-tion of both structural and aero-acoustic noise generated by engines and machinery.