Finite element characterization of complex automotive panels for statistical energy analysis (SEA)

Complex panels typical of automotive structures are often difficult to describe using statistical energy analysis (SEA) for vibro‐acoustic prediction at high frequencies. The panels are usually curved, ribbed, with nonhomogenous thickness, and some of these features may be crucial to correctly capture the panels vibro‐acoustic behavior. It is therefore sometimes desirable to include some details in the SEA description of the panel by characterizing the statistical panel properties based on a finite element simulation. In this paper, the key SEA parameters are identified and a general process for obtaining SEA properties from a finite element model is demonstrated on an engine component.