Design sensitivity analysis of statistical energy analysis models using transfer path approach

Statistical Energy Analysis (SEA) is an attractive tool to predict noise and vibration at high frequencies. It provides an ideal framework to carry out optimisation and sensitivity analysis. Design Sensitivity Analysis (DSA) using SEA helps the designer in making changes, by indicating the model parameters that cause the greatest benefit in either narrow or broadband noise and/or vibration reduction. This paper describes a simple and effective way of getting design sensitivities of noise and/or vibration response (or objective function formed using total energy response) to subsystem damping in SEA contest. Final form of design sensitivity vector, derived using Transfer Path Approach (TPA), suggests that the method is equally applicable for analytical and experimental DSA. A general proof for convergence of sensitivity vector thus derived is given to support the approach. Example of an automobile model, formed from 2 acoustic spaces and 24 plates, is given to validate and demonstrate the method.