SUMMARY

An effective means of reducing fluid-borne noise in hydraulic systems is the selective addition of compliance near the noise source. This is often done using gas-charged bladders, but solid compliant materials are not generally used because they tend to stiffen significantly at typical hydraulic system pressures. This work considers a class of polymer composite material which will maintain compliance at high pressures, thus serving as an effective noise control tool. The material is used for this purpose by applying it as a liner to common noise control devices. In this work, models will be developed both of the material properties and of an in-line silencer into which the material may be installed. The material model will predict bulk properties based on the structure and composition of the material, and will be useful in the material design process. The silencer models will be used in conjunction with the material model to design components for desired performance, and will also be used with experimental data to assist in the derivation and validation of the material model. The combination of these models will be a useful tool for the design of effective hydraulic noise control devices.