Vibration reduction in automotive applications based on the damping effect of granular material

The improvement in sound quality is an important aspect in the development of automobiles, as it influences the customers comfort and therefore the purchase decision. Furthermore, the legislature has passed several bills that aim at tightening the sound radiation threshold within the next decade. In order to improve the sound emission properties of lightweight designs, extensive research efforts have been devoted to develop sophisticated concepts that achieve an excellent noise reduction at a low mass.