Acoustic diffraction effects at the Hellenistic amphitheater of Epidaurus: seat rows responsible for the marvelous acoustics

The Hellenistic theater of Epidaurus, on the Peloponnese in Greece, attracts thousands of visitors every year who are all amazed by the fact that sound coming from the middle of the theater reaches the outer seats, apparently without too much loss of intensity. The theater, renowned for its extraordinary acoustics, is one of the best conserved of its kind in the world. It was used for musical and poetical contests and theatrical performances. The presented numerical study reveals that the seat rows of the theater, unexpectedly play an essential role in the acoustics--at least when the theater is not fully filled with spectators. The seats, which constitute a corrugated surface, serve as an acoustic filter that passes sound coming from the stage at the expense of surrounding acoustic noise. Whether a coincidence or not, the theater of Epidaurus was built with optimized shape and dimensions. Understanding and application of corrugated surfaces as filters rather than merely as diffuse scatterers of sound, may become imperative in the future design of modern theaters.     

Calculation of sound radiant efficiency and sound radiant modes of arbitrary shape structures by BEM and general eigenvalue decomposition

In this paper, a numerical method is presented to calculate sound radiant efficiency and radiant modes of arbitrary shape structures. Some methods have been proposed to compute sound radiant efficiencies and sound radiant modes of plates and beams. However, there is not a valid method to calculate for arbitrary shape structures except for measurement at the present time. The method proposed can predicate the sound radiant efficiencies and the sound radiant modes for arbitrary shape structures by boundary element method (BEM) and general eigenvalue decomposition. The validity of this method is demonstrated by two numerical examples of pulsating sphere and radiation cube.     

An investigation of the sound field above the audience in large lecture halls with a scale model

Measurements of steady-state sound pressure levels above the audience in large lecture halls show that the classical equation for predicting the sound pressure level is not accurate. The direct field above the seats was measured on a 1:10 scale model and was found to be dependent on the incidence angle and direction of sound propagation across the audience. The reverberant field above the seats in the model was calculated by subtracting the direct field from the measured total field and was found to be dependent on the magnitude and particularly on the placement of absorption. The decrease of sound pressure level versus distance in the total field depends on the angle (controlled by absorption placement) at which the strong reflections are incident upon the audience area. Sound pressure level decreases at a fairly constant rate with distance from the sound source in both the direct and reverberant field, and the decrease rate depends strongly on the absorption placement. The lowest rate of decay occurs when the side walls are absorptive, and both the ceiling and rear wall are reflective. These consequences are discussed with respect to prediction of speech intelligibility.     

A basic study on the sound field analysis of periodic structures by boundary integral equation method

This study deals with the development of the approximate method to analyze the sound field around equally spaced finite obstacles, using the periodic boundary condition. First, on the assumption that the equally spaced finite obstacles are the periodically arranged obstacles, the sound field is analyzed by boundary integral equation method with a Green’s function which satisfies the periodic boundary condition. Furthermore, by comparing these results and the exact solution by using the fundamental solution as Green’s function, the validity of the approximate method is also investigated. Next, in order to evaluate the applicability of the approximate method, the simple formula using some parameters, i.e., the frequency, the period, and the number of obstacles, etc., is proposed. The results of the sound field analysis applied the formula are presented.     

Boundary element-free method for elastodynamics

The moving least-square approximation is discussed first. Sometimes the method can form an ill-conditioned equation system, and thus the solution cannot be obtained correctly. A Hilbert space is presented on which an orthogonal function system mixed a weight function is defined. Next the improved moving least-square approximation is discussed in detail. The improved method has higher computational efficiency and precision than the old method, and cannot form an ill-conditioned equation system. A boundary element-free method (BEFM) for elastodynamics problems is presented by combining the boundary integral equation method for elastodynamics and the improved moving least-square approximation. The boundary element-free method is a meshless method of boundary integral equation and is a direct numerical method compared with others, in which the basic unknowns are the real solutions of the nodal variables and the boundary conditions can be applied easily. The boundary element-free method has a higher computational efficiency and precision. In addition, the numerical procedure of the boundary element-free method for elastodynamics problems is presented in this paper. Finally, some numerical examples are given.     

Boundary element-free method for elastodynamics

1 Introduction In recent years, more and more attention has been paid to researches on the meshless (or meshfree) method, which makes it a hot direction of computational mechanics[1,2]. The meshless method is the approximation based on nodes, then the large deformation and crack growth problems can be simulated with the method without the re-meshing technique. And the meshless method has some advantages over the traditional computa- tional methods, such as finite element method (FEM) and boun…     

一种水平变化波导中声传播问题的耦合模态法

针对介质参数及海底边界水平变化波导中的声传播问题,本文基于多模态导纳法提出一种能量守恒且便于数值稳定求解的耦合模态方法.将声压表示为一组正交完备的本地本征函数之和,对声压满足的Helmholtz方程在本地本征函数上作投影,推导出关于声压模态系数的二阶耦合模态方程组.耦合矩阵直观描述水平变化因素对模态耦合的贡献.为避免直接求解二阶耦合模态方程组可能遇到的数值发散问题,将其重构为两个耦合的一阶演化方程组,引入导纳矩阵并使用Magnus数值积分方法获得稳定的声场解.利用该耦合模态方法数值计算水平变化波导中的声场,并与COMSOL参考解比较,结果表明该耦合模态理论能够精确求解水平变化波导中的点源及分布源传播问题.     

A meshless Galerkin method with moving least square approximations for infinite elastic solids

Combining moving least square approximations and boundary integral equations, a meshless Galerkin method, which is the Galerkin boundary node method （GBNM）, for twoand three-dimensional infinite elastic solid mechanics problems with traction boundary conditions is discussed. In this numerical method, the resulting formulation inherits the symmetry and positive definiteness of variational problems, and boundary conditions can be applied directly and easily. A rigorous error analysis and convergence study for both displacement and stress is presented in Sobolev spaces. The capability of this method is illustrated and assessed by some numerical examples.     

音乐厅音质设计进展述评

本文对近年来音乐厅音质设计中若干问题的进展作一述评。（1）在已建立的众多独立音质参量基础上，如何作出大厅综合评价，就需要考虑到它们的互动性和贡献权，方法学将成为关键。（2）空间感已确认由声源视在展宽度ASW和听者环绕感LEV组成，对于影响两者的诸多复杂因素有了较深入研究，这声场中的细节又将如何与大厅设计相联系亦备受关注。（3）听众及座椅吸声这个老问题有了新的研究成果，对于空、满场的声学关系已积累了更多资料，使大厅音质的估算更为精确可靠。（4）常说扩散对大厅音质很重要，但其主观效应仍然处于玄虚状态，一些新的主观试听实验结果还不足以说明问题。     

An energy-conserving two-way coupled mode model for underwater acoustic propagation

In order to avoid the energy non-conservation in two-way sound field calculations,which results from certain approximation of non-horizontal boundary,an energy-conserving twoway coupled mode propagation model is developed.During the derivation of this model,the non-horizontal boundary condition is treated strictly instead of making an approximation.The coupling equations,which are easy to numerical implementation,are derived from the equation of motion and the equation of continuity.Moreover,the validity of this model is illustrated with several numerical examples of different bottom parameters and the equation of energy conservation.It is shown that a boundary correction is introduced by the strict formulizing of the boundary condition in this model.This boundary correction guarantees the coupling coefficients being symmetrical and makes the sound fields satisfy the energy conservation.Thus,the energy-conserving coupled model is able to handle non-horizontal boundaries adequately,and the two-way sound fields in a non-horizontal stratified media can be calculated exactly by this model.     

部分浸没圆柱壳声固耦合计算的半解析法研究

部分浸没圆柱壳-流场耦合系统的声振分析是一种典型的半空间域内声固耦合问题,其振动及声学计算目前主要依赖于数值方法求解,但无论从检验数值法还是从机理上揭示其声固耦合特性,解析或半解析方法的发展都是不可或缺的.本文提出了一种半解析方法,先将声场坐标系建立在自由液面上,采用正弦三角级数来满足自由液面上的声压释放边界条件;接着基于二维Flügge薄壳理论建立了以圆柱圆心为坐标原点的壳-液耦合系统的控制方程;然后再利用Galerkin法处理声固耦合界面的速度连续条件,推导得到声压幅值与壳体位移幅值之间的关系矩阵并求解该耦合系统的振动和水下声辐射.与有限元软件Comsol进行了耦合系统自由、受迫振动和水下辐射噪声计算结的对比分析,表明本文方法准确可靠.本文的研究为解析求解弹性结构与声场部分耦合的声振问题提供了新的思路.     

Laboratory measurement of sound absorption of occupied pews and standing audiences

Places of worship, as well as other performing spaces or large arenas are characterized by lightweight pews or seats, with moderate or negligible upholstery, leading to very low absorption coefficients. Consequently, the audience becomes the most important sound absorbing element, capable of playing a fundamental role in determining the acoustic characteristics of the space. Consequently accurate knowledge of its acoustic properties is required for any design purpose. Several studies have been carried out with reference to audiences seated on upholstered theatre seats but there is a considerable lack of information about occupied pews. The well known difficulty of taking into account edge effects during such measurements poses further questions as well as the effect of the density of occupation, and the seasonal variations due to clothing. This paper presents the results of a series of laboratory measurements aimed at clarifying such aspects. The measurements showed that the edge effects are negligible and that total absorption is better related to the number of persons present than to the area they cover. Nonetheless, as the density grows, or when the audience is seated, there is a reduction in absorption which may be explained by the reduction in exposed body surface. Lightweight clothes show a considerable reduction in sound absorption over all the frequency bands, suggesting that significant seasonal fluctuations in reverberation time should be expected in places where the audience is the only sound absorbing surface.     

Sound propagation above an inhomogeneous plane: Boundary integral equation methods

A boundary integral equation method is used to compute the sound pressure emitted by a harmonic source above an inhomogeneous plane. First, the theoretical aspects of the problem (behaviour of the pressure around the discontinuities,…) are studied. Then, a comparison between theoretical levels and experimental levels obtained in an anechoic room is presented. It shows that the boundary integral equation (BIE) method is quite convenient for solving this kind of problem. Two interesting results are pointed out: (i) if only a prediction of maximum sound levels is needed, the attenuation is the same for a cylindrical source, a spherical source and N spherical sources, and so it is possible to transform some three-dimensional problems into two-dimensional ones; (ii) a numerical method of computation of the sound field above an inhomogeneous plane does not provide a correct prediction if each part of the plane is not accurately described by the boundary condition chosen.     

基于联合波叠加法的浅海信道下圆柱壳声辐射研究

针对浅海信道下弹性结构声辐射预报尚无高效可靠的研究方法,提出了一种浅海信道下弹性结构声辐射快速预报的联合波叠加法.该方法结合了浅海信道传输函数、多物理场耦合数值计算法和波叠加法理论,运用该方法可对浅海信道下弹性结构辐射声场进行快速预报.经数值法和解析解法验证后,从信道下辐射源、环境影响和辐射声场测量的角度研究分析了浅海信道下弹性圆柱壳的声辐射特性,阐释了进行浅海信道下结构声辐射研究的必要性.研究结果表明,仅在低频浅海信道下弹性结构可近似等效为点源,信道上下边界对声场产生显著的耦合影响,高频段的空间声场指向性分布尤为明显,垂直线列阵进行信道下结构辐射声功率测量时,测量结果受到信道环境边界和潜深的影响较大.     

时域有限差分法在建筑声学中的应用及前景

介绍了声波方程的基本差分格式及稳定条件、数值色散、吸收边界条件等数值计算理论，例举了前人用时域有限差分法对噪声传播过程的模拟和室内声学中座椅吸声低谷效应模拟的模拟结果。本文指出，由于时域有限差分法的特点使其具有在模拟脉冲响应方而的特别优势，因而，应用这一技术研究厅堂的声学特性，尤其是低频特性，将有重要意义。     

基于等效源法和双面质点振速测量的声场分离方法

目前基于等效源法的声场分离方法有两种输入方式, 一种以双测量面上的声压为输入, 另一种以单测量面上的声压和质点振速为输入. 本文以双测量面上的质点振速为输入, 提出一种新的基于等效源法的声场分离方法. 首先给出了该方法的理论推导, 然后通过数值仿真和实验验证了该方法的有效性. 通过与基于双面声压测量的声场分离方法的比较, 证明了该方法在分离质点振速方面的优越性. 此外, 在仿真中还研究了干扰声源强度和测量面间距对分离精度的影响. 关键词： 声场分离 质点振速测量 等效源法 近场声全息     

Air-borne sound source characterization by patch impedance coupling approach

An approach of independent sound source characterization is discussed. The source is defined by its blocked sound pressure and surface impedance via a suitable enveloping surface. Both the blocked pressure and the impedance are made discrete using the patch averaging concept. The approach is adapted to numerical as well as experimental implementation. The characterization of a source by patches allows for acoustical sub-structuring, which in turn enables the prediction of the sound field created by a source coupled to an arbitrary environment. Numerical simulations are presented which demonstrate the validity of the approach.     

The novel boundary integral equation method for solving arbitrary cross-section waveguides

A novel method for solving arbitrary cross-sectionn waveguides is presented. The novel method is a modification of the eigen-weighted boundary integral equation method; the EWBIEM is modified by using the eigenfunction of a fictitious regular boundary as weighting function, whose eigenvalue may be the known value, and meanwhile using the domain-bases. To confirm the validity of the novel method, numerical analysis are presented for circular groove guide as an example.The Project Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of P.R. China     

用基于声类比的边界元计算管道风扇的管道声传播和辐射

本文介绍了用基于声类比的边界元计算管道风扇声场的新方法,将已被成功地应用于物体对外声场的散射计算方法推广应用到管道风扇的管内声传播和管口声辐射问题。数值结果表明了模型和方法的正确性及其可以作为管道声处理降噪敏果预测的工具。     

轴对称构件受力分析的插值粒子法

面对土木工程与机械工程中广泛存在的轴对称力学问题, 采用具有离散点插值特性的无网格方法形函数, 结合弹性力学空间轴对称问题的最小势能原理, 建立了轴对称构件力学分析的插值粒子法. 本文无网格法方法构造形函数不依赖网格, 也具有像有限元法一样可直接施加边界条件的优点. 本方法能直接获得全域连续应力场, 避免了有限元法应力后处理二次拟合带来的计算误差. 最后通过实例分析, 验证了所建立的无网格方法的有效性.