Mogwera, ADesai, DAFameso, FDikgale, Moyahabo S2026-08-312026-08-312025-111742-659610.1088/1742-6596/3225/1/012001http://hdl.handle.net/10204/14919The demand for high-performance testing environments with reduced noise levels has driven increased focus on the aerodynamics and acoustics of supersonic wind tunnels. Operating at supersonic speeds, these wind tunnels generate significant noise and vibrations that can interfere with measurement accuracy, cause structural degradation, and disrupt operations. Traditional approaches to attenuate these problems often focused on airflow dynamics, somehow neglecting the impact of compressor fan vibrations and dynamics. However, acoustic wall treatments placed where fans are commonly located in the wind tunnel, can minimize these sounds and vibrations but such investigations seem under researched. Hence, this study investigates the vibro-acoustic performance of three materials: ceramic fibre, mineral wool, and melamine foam using finite element analysis (FEA). The simulated results indicate that ceramic fibre achieved the lowest A-weighted SPL of 24.04 dBA, demonstrating its strong sound-absorbing properties compared to melamine foam and mineral wool, with SPLs of 48.687 dBA and 35.357 dBA, respectively. Analytical validation further confirmed the accuracy of the simulated harmonic response analysis results. These results highlight ceramic fibre as a highly effective material for acoustic wall treatments in minimizing compressor fan-induced noise and vibrations in supersonic wind tunnel applications such as those found at the CSIR. By providing a comparative analysis of material responses specific to compressor fan acoustics, this research contributes to the design of quieter, more efficient supersonic testing environments.FulltextenAerodynamicsWind tunnelsAirflow dynamicsFinite element analysisFEAConference PresentationN/A