Acoustic wave propagation mechanism in the local stiffened structure of space station cabin using finite element method

Acoustic-based leakage detection and location in a spacecraft has attracted many researchers’ interest. Due to the fact that wave propagation through the stiffened structure is too complicated to be comprehensively understood, current leakage detection technologies have low-quality performance. Using numerical simulations, this paper parametrically investigates wave propagation across stiffened structure under different configurations. First, wave propagation through the stiffened structures with different stiffener heights is analyzed, showing that acoustic propagation features are different from Reusser’s model. Second, the stiffened structures with different widths are analyzed; meanwhile, the two cases of too large and too small stiffened ratios were compared. Acoustic wave propagation paths become complicated due to acoustic mode conversions. Third, different configurations of structure types are addressed. When the stiffener’s height–width ratio was large, the acoustic wave first reached the bottom of the stiffened block and then traveled up to the top of the stiffened block. When the stiffener’s height–width ratio was small, the acoustic wave reached the incident side at the bottom of the stiffened block and then propagated separately.