ARCA

In civil aeronautics, the use of composite materials applied to parts of the primary fuselage structure makes significant weight reductions possible while maintaining the same structural performance. These materials, however, are somewhat lacking in terms of acoustic characteristics, because they are particularly permeable to noise in the passenger cabin, with a consequent significant reduction in the level of comfort. The ARCA research project aimed to develop innovative composite materials with improved acoustic characteristics compared to traditional composites, while still ensuring compliance with mechanical-structural and process requirements. The types of material modification investigated were:

1. the insertion of a layer of damping material (“damping layer”) inside the different layers of which the composite material is made;
2. the addition of damping material fibres within the single layer of the composite;
3. the addition of nanomaterials at the matrix and/or fiber level

Furthermore, innovative acoustic treatments inside the cabin have been explored, produced with polymeric materials of various compositions, also using active control techniques, in order to maximize performance as absorbers or dampers of acoustic and/or vibration energy.