Acoustics

This corrected version of the landmark 1981 textbook introduces the physical principles and theoretical basis of acoustics with deep mathematical rigor, concentrating on concepts and points of view that have proven useful in applications such as noise control, underwater sound, architectural acoustics, audio engineering, nondestructive testing, remote sensing, and medical ultrasonics. Since its publication, this text has been used as part of numerous acoustics-related courses across the world, and continues to be used widely today. During its writing, the book was fine-tuned according to insights gleaned from a broad range of classroom settings. Its careful design supports students in their pursuit of a firm foundation while allowing flexibility in course structure. The book can easily be used in single-term or full-year graduate courses and includes problems and answers. This rigorous and essential text is a must-have for any practicing or aspiring acoustician.

This textbook provides a unified approach to acoustics and vibration suitable for use in advanced undergraduate and first-year graduate courses on vibration and fluids. The book includes thorough treatment of vibration of harmonic oscillators, coupled oscillators, isotropic elasticity, and waves in solids including the use of resonance techniques for determination of elastic moduli. Drawing on 35 years of experience teaching introductory graduate acoustics at the Naval Postgraduate School and Penn State, the author presents a hydrodynamic approach to the acoustics of sound in fluids that provides a uniform methodology for analysis of lumped-element systems and wave propagation that can incorporate attenuation mechanisms and complex media. This view provides a consistent and reliable approach that can be extended with confidence to more complex fluids and future applications. Understanding Acoustics opens with a mathematical introduction that includes graphing and statistical uncertainty, followed by five chapters on vibration and elastic waves that provide important results and highlight modern applications while introducing analytical techniques that are revisited in the study of waves in fluids covered in Part II. A unified approach to waves in fluids (i.e., liquids and gases) is based on a mastery of the hydrodynamic equations. Part III demonstrates extensions of this view to nonlinear acoustics. Engaging and practical, this book is a must-read for graduate students in acoustics and vibration as well as active researchers interested in a novel approach to the material.

Modern Room Acoustics will help to mitigate sound problems in rooms using acoustical principles and the constraints of time, budget and practicality. Practical room acoustics can be divided into two categories: less noise and better sound. Or, in acoustical terms, soundproofing and room treatments, which are described and solutions recommended.

Foundations of Engineering Acoustics takes the reader on a journey from a qualitative introduction to the physical nature of sound, explained in terms of common experience, to mathematical models and analytical results which underlie the techniques applied by the engineering industry to improve the acoustic performance of their products. The book is distinguished by extensive descriptions and explanations of audio-frequency acoustic phenomena and their relevance to engineering, supported by a wealth of diagrams, and by a guide for teachers of tried and tested class demonstrations and laboratory-based experiments. Foundations of Engineering Acoustics is a textbook suitable for both senior undergraduate and postgraduate courses in mechanical, aerospace, marine, and possibly electrical and civil engineering schools at universities. It will be a valuable reference for academic teachers and researchers and will also assist Industrial Acoustic Group staff and Consultants. Comprehensive and up-to-date: broad coverage, many illustrations, questions, elaborated answers, references and a bibliography Introductory chapter on the importance of sound in technology and the role of the engineering acoustician Deals with the fundamental concepts, principles, theories and forms of mathematical representation, rather than methodology Frequent reference to practical applications and contemporary technology Emphasizes qualitative, physical introductions to each principal as an entrée to mathematical analysis for the less theoretically oriented readers and courses Provides a 'cook book' of demonstrations and laboratory-based experiments for teachers Useful for discussing acoustical problems with non-expert clients/managers because the descriptive sections are couched in largely non-technical language and any jargon is explained Draws on the vast pedagogic experience of the writer

No branch of classical physics is older in its origins yet more modern in its applications than acoustics. Courses on acoustics very naturally begin with a study of vibrations, as a preliminary to the introduction of the wave equations. Both vibrations and waves, of course, are vastly important to all branches of physics and engineering. But it is very helpful to students to gain an understanding of mechanical waves before trying to comprehend the more subtle and abstract electromagnetic ones. This undergraduate-level text opens with an overview of fundamental particle vibration theory, and it proceeds to examinations of waves in air and in three dimensions, interference patterns and diffraction, and acoustic impedance, as illustrated in the behavior of horns. Subsequent topics include longitudinal waves in different gases and waves in liquids and solids; stationary waves and vibrating sources, as demonstrated by musical instruments; reflection and absorption of sound waves; speech and hearing; sound measurements and experimental acoustics; reproduction of sound; and miscellaneous applied acoustics. Supplementary sections include four appendixes and answers to problems. Introduction. Appendixes. List of Symbols. References. Index. Answers to Problems.

Well established as a classic reference and specialised textbook, since its first publication in 1973, Heinrich Kuttruff’s Room Acoustics combines detailed coverage with a state of art presentation of the theory and practice of sound behaviour in closed spaces. This sixth edition presents several additional new sections, for instance on the reflection of a spherical wave from a wall, on finite element methods for sound field calculation and on virtual reality, as well as giving an overhaul of the standard material. Particular emphasis is given to the properties and calculation of reverberation, the most obvious acoustical feature of a room. And further key topics include the various mechanisms of sound absorption and their practical application as well as scattering by wall irregularities including pseudo-stochastic structures. Extensive space is given to of psychoacoustic insights and the quality criteria derived from them, along with new procedures for the sensory assessment of concert hall acoustics. As in earlier editions, one full and updated chapter is devoted to the design and performance of electroacoustic systems which nowadays is not just a method for sound amplification but offers many possibilities for correcting acoustic deficiencies and modifying a hall’s natural acoustics.

The book presents a state-of-art overview of numerical schemes efficiently solving the acoustic conservation equations (unknowns are acoustic pressure and particle velocity) and the acoustic wave equation (pressure of acoustic potential formulation). Thereby, the different equations model both vibrational- and flow-induced sound generation and its propagation. Latest numerical schemes as higher order finite elements, non-conforming grid techniques, discontinuous Galerkin approaches and boundary element methods are discussed. Main applications will be towards aerospace, rail and automotive industry as well as medical engineering. The team of authors are able to address these topics from the engineering as well as numerical points of view.

Covers the theory and practice of innovative new approaches to modelling acoustic propagation There are as many types of acoustic phenomena as there are media, from longitudinal pressure waves in a fluid to S and P waves in seismology. This text focuses on the application of computational methods to the fields of linear acoustics. Techniques for solving the linear wave equation in homogeneous medium are explored in depth, as are techniques for modelling wave propagation in inhomogeneous and anisotropic fluid medium from a source and scattering from objects. Written for both students and working engineers, this book features a unique pedagogical approach to acquainting readers with innovative numerical methods for developing computational procedures for solving problems in acoustics and for understanding linear acoustic propagation and scattering. Chapters follow a consistent format, beginning with a presentation of modelling paradigms, followed by descriptions of numerical methods appropriate to each paradigm. Along the way important implementation issues are discussed and examples are provided, as are exercises and references to suggested readings. Classic methods and approaches are explored throughout, along with comments on modern advances and novel modeling approaches. Bridges the gap between theory and implementation, and features examples illustrating the use of the methods described Provides complete derivations and explanations of recent research trends in order to provide readers with a deep understanding of novel techniques and methods Features a systematic presentation appropriate for advanced students as well as working professionals References, suggested reading and fully worked problems are provided throughout An indispensable learning tool/reference that readers will find useful throughout their academic and professional careers, this book is both a supplemental text for graduate students in physics and engineering interested in acoustics and a valuable working resource for engineers in an array of industries, including defense, medicine, architecture, civil engineering, aerospace, biotech, and more.