The University of Southampton
University of Southampton Institutional Repository

Modal analysis of a grand piano soundboard at successive manufacturing stages

Modal analysis of a grand piano soundboard at successive manufacturing stages
Modal analysis of a grand piano soundboard at successive manufacturing stages
This paper deals with the development and validation of a finite element numerical model of a grand piano soundboard. The most important details of the manufacturing process are reproduced in this model. In particular, by modelling the gluing of the ribs and the bridges to the board, the curved geometry (the crown) and the residual stresses induced in the soundboard are taken into account.

Experimental modal analysis results are presented at three stages of the manufacturing process of the same soundboard: (i) freely suspended soundboard before gluing the bridges, (ii) freely suspended soundboard including the two bridges, and (iii) soundboard attached to the piano frame. The experimental data at the first of these three stages are used to update the material properties of the finite element model, so as to minimise the difference between calculated and experimental vibration modes, in terms of both natural frequencies and mode shapes. The simulation of the other manufacturing stages is then performed without any additional tuning. Vibration modes obtained from experiments up to 400–450 Hz are compared with those obtained through the numerical model.

Point mobilities measured on the bridge at the different manufacturing stages are also shown and discussed. Above 200 Hz, the mobilities measured on the bridge of the freely suspended soundboard and on the bridge of the soundboard fixed to the frame are very similar, thus showing that in this frequency range the effect of the soundboard local dynamic stiffness is predominant over boundary conditions. Finally, point mobility at the bridge is also calculated through the finite element model and compared to the experiments, with good agreement up to 4 kHz.
Piano soundboard, modal analysis
0003-682X
113-127
Corradi, Roberto
94c0edc1-1226-4b2c-b413-15f6bf7ee6e1
Miccoli, Stefano
b2841168-4017-4090-8e53-9790872eb438
Squicciarini, Giacomo
c1bdd1f6-a2e8-435c-a924-3e052d3d191e
Fazioli, Paolo
b110b3c4-e7f8-490b-9f37-0d796c6f5e69
Corradi, Roberto
94c0edc1-1226-4b2c-b413-15f6bf7ee6e1
Miccoli, Stefano
b2841168-4017-4090-8e53-9790872eb438
Squicciarini, Giacomo
c1bdd1f6-a2e8-435c-a924-3e052d3d191e
Fazioli, Paolo
b110b3c4-e7f8-490b-9f37-0d796c6f5e69

Corradi, Roberto, Miccoli, Stefano, Squicciarini, Giacomo and Fazioli, Paolo (2017) Modal analysis of a grand piano soundboard at successive manufacturing stages. Applied Acoustics, 125, 113-127. (doi:10.1016/j.apacoust.2017.04.010).

Record type: Article

Abstract

This paper deals with the development and validation of a finite element numerical model of a grand piano soundboard. The most important details of the manufacturing process are reproduced in this model. In particular, by modelling the gluing of the ribs and the bridges to the board, the curved geometry (the crown) and the residual stresses induced in the soundboard are taken into account.

Experimental modal analysis results are presented at three stages of the manufacturing process of the same soundboard: (i) freely suspended soundboard before gluing the bridges, (ii) freely suspended soundboard including the two bridges, and (iii) soundboard attached to the piano frame. The experimental data at the first of these three stages are used to update the material properties of the finite element model, so as to minimise the difference between calculated and experimental vibration modes, in terms of both natural frequencies and mode shapes. The simulation of the other manufacturing stages is then performed without any additional tuning. Vibration modes obtained from experiments up to 400–450 Hz are compared with those obtained through the numerical model.

Point mobilities measured on the bridge at the different manufacturing stages are also shown and discussed. Above 200 Hz, the mobilities measured on the bridge of the freely suspended soundboard and on the bridge of the soundboard fixed to the frame are very similar, thus showing that in this frequency range the effect of the soundboard local dynamic stiffness is predominant over boundary conditions. Finally, point mobility at the bridge is also calculated through the finite element model and compared to the experiments, with good agreement up to 4 kHz.

Text
20160514-postprint - Accepted Manuscript
Download (13MB)

More information

Accepted/In Press date: 11 April 2017
Published date: October 2017
Keywords: Piano soundboard, modal analysis
Organisations: Dynamics Group

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 408405
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/408405
ISSN: 0003-682X
PURE UUID: dced2fb5-c4a3-4bcb-bf1a-607427180aae
ORCID for Giacomo Squicciarini: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-2437-6398

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 20 May 2017 04:02
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 05:21

Export record

Altmetrics

Contributors

Author: Roberto Corradi
Author: Stefano Miccoli
Author: Paolo Fazioli

Download statistics

Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.

View more statistics

Atom RSS 1.0 RSS 2.0

Contact ePrints Soton: eprints@soton.ac.uk

ePrints Soton supports OAI 2.0 with a base URL of http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/cgi/oai2

This repository has been built using EPrints software, developed at the University of Southampton, but available to everyone to use.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we will assume that you are happy to receive cookies on the University of Southampton website.

×