Acoustic characterization of laminated glass superyachts windows

Acoustic comfort is nowadays a fundamental parameter in the superyacht design process. Vibration and noise assessment are becoming very important subjects for research and Classification Societies Rules. In the framework of this study the actual trend of using larger and larger glass surfaces, especially for owner cabins, could represent a critical point in terms of acoustic transmission from the exterior shell to the interior space. These windows are commonly made of laminated glass glued to the surrounding metal frame. The aim of this study is to present a method for identifying a dynamic model of laminated glass that could be introduced in the numerical model of the yacht to carry out acoustic calculations; this method uses both numerical and experimental analyses. In the final part of the paper the proposed method is applied to the owner’s cabin windows of a superyacht for the noise investigation carried out by the Statistical Energy Analysis (SEA)