Radiating head flexure and its effect on transducer performance

Abstract

The design requirements of underwater sound transducers often lead to a radiating head structure that exhibits flexure at a frequency close to the transducer's fundamental resonance. An analysis of this flexure is presented along with a comparatively simple model that can be incorporated into many transducer element and array interaction design programs. Results are presented for a particular case to illustrate the physical effects and also the advantages (such as a reduction in the fundamental resonant frequency) and disadvantages (such as reduced performance above resonance) that are a consequence of flexural head motion.