A discontinuity-enriched finite element method for the computational design of phononic crystals

Phononic crystals can be designed to have bandgaps---ranges of frequencies whose propagation through the material is prevented. They are therefore attractive for vibration isolation applications in different industries, where unwanted vibrations reduce performance. Yet, important steps are still to be made for the integration of phononic crystals into engineering practice. For instance, methods for large scale production are still in development. Furthermore, it is essential that design methods are established to enable the design of phononic crystals that meet all of the, often conflicting, requirements for practical applications. This thesis focuses on the latter challenge by proposing a computational design method for phononic crystals based on the combination of an advanced finite element method and level set-based topology optimization.