Parameters influencing low frequency impact sound transmission in dwellings

As sound and vibration fields in dwellings exhibit modal behaviour at frequencies below 200 Hz, a systematic investigation of measurement and prediction uncertainty associated with impact sound transmission at low frequencies must include the effects of: location of the impact, type of floor, edge conditions, floor and room dimensions, room absorption and position of the receiver. Experimentally validated analytical models, described in a companion paper, have been used in an extensive investigation of impact sound transmission through rectangular homogeneous concrete floors and floating floors. The models were used to describe the effect of modal coupling and then to perform parametric and statistical studies aimed to identify the main factors affecting low frequency impact sound transmission.     

Simple sound transmission loss measurements using a modified impedance tube technique

A method of comparing the sound transmission characteristics of various materials, and combinations of materials, is presented, using a modified impedance tube technique. The procedure proved to be relatively quick and inexpensive in comparison with standard reverberation suite tests, and is therefore particularly useful for the qualitative ranking of multiple samples.The limitations of the technique are discussed in some detail, and particular emphasis is given to the problems of small sample size and method of mounting in the apparatus.     

Enhancing the low frequency sound absorption of a perforated panel by parallel-arranged extended tubes

This paper is concerned with the use of a perforated panel with extended tubes (PPET) to improve the sound absorption confined to low frequencies. In comparison with a micro-perforated panel (MPP), the sound absorption can be significantly improved by using the PPET at the expense of the bandwidth of the sound absorption. A particular configuration combining four parallel-arranged PPETs with different cavities is introduced to achieve a wider bandwidth of the sound absorption at low frequencies. The analysis is extended to the combination of three parallel-arranged PPETs and a MPP to further increase the bandwidth of the sound absorption. A theoretical model is described to predict the sound absorption coefficient and the simulated annealing method is introduced to the proposed absorbers, allowing optimization of the overall performance. The theory with experimental validations demonstrates that the proposed configurations offer a potential improvement of more than one octave in the bandwidth of the sound absorption at low frequencies.     

环境因素对海-气界面低频异常声透射的影响研究

针对海中声源在海-气界面低频异常声透射问题, 根据两层媒质声传输模型, 分析了大气声速和密度与气压、气温、湿度及海水中声速和密度与海温、盐度间的关系, 研究了低频声透射和传输受温度、气压、盐度、湿度等因素的影响, 分析了各因素对声透射和传输的影响程度. 结果表明: 1) 声透射到大气中的声功率与气温、湿度负相关, 与海温、盐度、气压正相关; 2) 单极子与水平偶极子声源辐射到海中的声功率与海温、盐度负相关, 而垂直偶极子声源辐射到海中的声功率与海温、盐度正相关; 3) 声透射指向性与海温正相关, 与气温负相关; 4) 低频声透射受温度影响最大, 其次是盐度, 受气压和湿度影响较小, 垂直偶极子声源的声透射受温度影响大于水平偶极子和单极子声源.     

On low frequency sound transmission loss of double sidebranches: a comparison between theory and experiment

The sound power transmission losses of various sidebranches installed along a rectangular duct below the first cut-off frequency of the duct are studied experimentally. Special efforts are made to examine how accurately the plane-wave theory predicts the sound-power transmission loss. Four types of sidebranch impedance are established and their effects to the sound power transmission loss discussed. It is found that under the nonresonant conditions the plane-wave theory can give reasonable prediction when the branch separation is large or the original sound transmission loss of the corresponding single side-branch is weak. The theory always overestimates the sound transmission loss at resonant conditions but gives underestimation if the transmission loss is due to the noise breakout in the sidebranches, especially for short branch separation.     

Assessing the effect of a barrier between two rooms subjected to low frequency sound using the boundary element method

The boundary element method (BEM) has been used to compute the acoustic wave propagation through a single vertical panel, which separates two rooms, made of concrete, when one of the rooms is excited by a steady-state, spatially sinusoidal, harmonic line load pressure at low frequencies. This work focuses on how the connection of the panel to the ceiling affects the acoustic insulation provided by the wall. Perfect double-fixed partitions and acoustic barrier-type structures with differently-sized gaps between the ceiling and the barrier are studied. The BEM model is formulated in the frequency domain and takes the air-solid interaction fully into account. Insulation dips are localised in the frequency domain and identified with dips associated with both the wall's natural dynamic vibration modes and with those associated with the air in the rooms. The influence of the wall's thickness on acoustic insulation is also analysed. The computed results obtained with the acoustic barrier type structure are compared with those obtained by a rigid model. The importance of the rooms' surface conditions is assessed, modelling the rooms with cork.     

Enhancing maximum measurable sound reduction index using sound intensity method and strong receiving room absorption

The sound intensity method is usually recommended instead of the pressure method in the presence of strong flanking transmission. Especially when small and/or heavy specimens are tested, the flanking often causes problems in laboratories practicing only the pressure method. The purpose of this study was to determine experimentally the difference between the maximum sound reduction indices obtained by the intensity method, RI,max, and by the pressure method, Rmax. In addition, the influence of adding room absorption to the receiving room was studied. The experiments were carried out in an ordinary two-room test laboratory. The exact value of RI,max was estimated by applying a fitting equation to the measured data points. The fitting equation involved the dependence of the pressure-intensity indicator on measured acoustical parameters. In an empty receiving room, the difference between RI,max and Rmax was 4-15 dB, depending on frequency. When the average reverberation time was reduced from 3.5 to 0.6 s, the values of RI,max increased by 2-10 dB compared to the results in the empty room. Thus, it is possible to measure wall structures having 9-22 dB better sound reduction index using the intensity method than with the pressure method. This facilitates the measurements of small and/or heavy specimens in the presence of flanking. Moreover, when new laboratories are designed, the intensity method is an alternative to the pressure method which presupposes expensive isolation structures between the rooms.     

The effects of external lagging on low frequency sound transmission through the walls of rectangular ducts

Previous work by the author [1], on the transmission of internally propagated acoustic noise through the walls of rectangular ducts, is extended here in an investigation of the effects of external “lagging” (consisting of a layer of porous sound-absorbing material, and an impervious external covering) on the duct walls; this type of treatment is commonly applied as a noise control measure. A simple theoretical model, based, as before, on a coupled acoustic/structural wave system, is devised and shown to give reasonably accurate predictions in comparison with measurements of the wall transmission loss (though not in the case of lagging in which an external covering of very non-uniform thickness is incorporated). The conclusion is reached that external lagging used as an acoustic treatment is not, in general, particularly satisfactory.     

一种用于声源低频性能测试的互易装置

声源的辐射性能是一个重要参数,其测试往往在全消声室、混响室等特殊的环境中进行,而在复杂环境中的性能测试,尤其是低频性能的测试则是一个难题。互易原理广泛存在于线性、无源、稳定的系统中,在许多复杂环境中同样成立,因此提供了一种解决该难题的途径。基于力声互易原理,本文设计了一种双端面的互易装置,通过力电互易实验,验证了该装置的互易性。利用该装置,在全消声环境以及强混响环境中测试了三种不同的声源,测试结果与自由场法测试结果具有较好的一致性,验证了该装置和方法的有效性。     

Simulation of outdoor sound propagation with a transmission line matrix method

The present paper focusses on the application of the transmission line matrix method (TLM) for outdoor sound propagation simulations. It is shown how the reflection at the ground and vertical sound speed gradients can be taken into account. The comparison with calculations using finite differences in the time domain (FDTD), with calculations using parabolic equation and with analytical solutions showed all very good agreement. Thereby the computational effort of TLM is significantly lower compared to common FDTD calculation schemes.     

低频、强声气动发声器中阀门的设计计算及研制

本文研制了一种启闭频率高达10Hz的气动发声阀门。利用了流体动力学数值仿真软件（FLU—ENT）对其内部流场先进行数值仿真，并通过改变均衡进气孔参数，优化了阀门内部流场分布情况。     

Enhanced sound transmission from water to air at low frequencies

Excitation of acoustic radiation into the air from a low-frequency point source under water is investigated using plane wave expansion of the source spectrum and Rayleigh reflection/transmission coefficients. Expressions are derived for the acoustic power radiated into air and water as a function of source depth and given to lowest order in the air/water density ratio. Near zero source depth, the radiation into the water is quenched by the source's acoustic image, while the power radiated into air reaches about 1% of the power that would be radiated into unbounded water.     

Predictions and measurements of sound transmission through a periodic array of elastic shells in air

Analytical and numerical approaches have been made to the problems of (a) propagation through a doubly periodic array of elastic shells in air, (b) scattering by a single elastic shell in air, and (c) scattering by a finite periodic array of elastic shells in air. Using the Rayleigh identity and the Kirchhoff-Love approximations, a relationship is found between the elastic material parameters and the size of the bandgap below the first Bragg frequency, which results from the axisymmetric resonance of the shells in an array. Predictions and laboratory data confirm that use of a suitably "soft" non-vulcanized rubber results in substantial insertion loss peaks related to the resonances of the shells. Inclusion of viscoelasticity is found to improve the correspondence between predictions and data. In addition the possible influences of inhomogeneity due to the manufacturing of the elastic shells (i.e., the effects of gluing sheet edges together) and of departures from circular cylindrical cross-sections are considered by means of numerical methods.     

利用含多孔介质微穿孔周期结构增强声吸收

为获得理想吸声性能,提出了一种由多孔材料,微穿孔板及空气层构成的周期复合结构,并利用微穿孔板理论和等效流体多孔材料模型,结合等效电路法进行了分析。结果表明,复合结构显著增强了微穿孔板结构的中低频吸声性能,但其高频性能较单独多孔材料差;采用合适填充比例并联布置多种多孔材料,可适当调节复合结构的吸声性能。此外,周期复合结构的堆叠层数N≥1时,相对单层复合结构,中低频吸声带宽提升至少40%(≥380 Hz);相对多层微穿孔板结构,增大N对相应中低频吸声带宽提升不低于30%(≥300 Hz)。总体上,文中周期复合结构可显著增强传统微穿孔结构的中低频性能,是一种简单高效的中低频宽频降噪方案。     

圆柱腔低频声场的球谐函数分解及声场再现

针对圆柱腔低频声场的球谐函数分解,提出了基于移动式球形传声器阵列(简称球阵)测量的空间域直接求解法。利用空间域测量数据,在压缩感知(Compressive Sensing,CS)理论框架下通过一次线性方程组求解,获得整体坐标系下的声场展开系数。首先讨论了感知矩阵的列相关性,比较不同球阵形式及球面采样点数目,不同球谐函数截断阶数以及空间测量位置等的影响。随后在飞机舱室模型内利用文中提出的方法求解声场展开系数,再现腔内水平面的声压分布,并与传统球坐标变换方法做比较。实验结果表明,利用空间域直接求解法,通过球面随机挑选10个采样点的刚性球阵在声腔3个位置进行声场测量,不仅能够有效求解声场展开系数,而且声场再现精度更高,同时计算效率也显著提高。     

Enhancing sound absorption using periodic micro-perforated structure with porous layer

To get desired sound absorption,we proposed a novel periodic composite structure comprised of micro-perforated plates(MPPs),porous materials and air cavities.The composite structure is then solved using an equivalent circuit model,with equivalent fluid porous model and Maa's theory.Distributed four-pole elements are used to handle structures which are not compact compared to the sound wavelength.The model procedures are validated and confirmed as satisfactory by published results and finite-element results.Analysis conducted on a single layer shows that,compared with traditional MPP,the porous addition can increase sound absorption in the low-to-medium frequency range;however,the advantage of porous materials in the high-frequency range is lost.Meanwhile,by arranging the porous materials in parallel and controlling their filling ratios,the absorption curve of the composite structure can be tuned.As to periodic composite structures,it is found that the influence of layer number N is mainly in the low-to-medium frequency range.When N varies,the half-absorption bandwidth increases over 40%(≥380 Hz) compared with a single layer.Compared with multi-layered MPPs,N=2 and N=4 produce an increase of bandwidth by 50%(≥400 Hz) and 30%(≥300 Hz) respectively.As N increases,the sound absorption is better but the enhancement weakens as it tends to the limit of the composite structure.These results show the potential enhancements that can be made to the traditional MPP,which can benefit the research on wideband noise reduction in the low-to-medium frequency range.     

The measurement of structure-borne sound transmission using impulsive sources

A simple method to measure structure-borne sound transmission is described. Measurement is made of the level difference in the acceleration between two structural elements using a plastic headed hammer as a noise source. The method is at least as accurate as conventional measurements made under steady-state conditions using continuous noise sources and can be carried out with less instrumentation on site and in about a tenth of the time.The portability of the source greatly simplifies the measurements as a hammer can be used to hit structures in a wide variety of positions whereas shakers can only be used in limited situations. In addition, attaching a shaker to a wall can damage the wall surface whereas, with care, a hammer hit will not.     

Improvement of sound absorption characteristics under low frequency for micro-perforated panel absorbers using super-aligned carbon nanotube arrays

Super-aligned carbon nanotube (SACNT) arrays are grown on the surface of micro perforated panel (MPP) in the hope of improving the acoustic performance of MPP absorbers by virtue of their unique properties. Scanning electron microscopy reveals that SACNT arrays did not block the perforations of MPPs or changed the perforation diameter due to their “super-aligned” nature, although MPPs are thickened. The absorption effect of SACNT arrays which are of the same and different lengths with different incident side on MPP absorbers are investigated, and standing wave tube method is used to determine the normal sound absorption coefficient. Results show that both of the lengths of SACNT arrays and the incident side have effects on the sound absorption performance of MPP absorbers. And generally SACNT arrays help to improve the sound absorption capacity of MPP absorbers in low-frequency regions only when the SACNT arrays surface is the incident side. SACNT arrays decrease absorption performance of MPP absorbers when the MPP surface is used as the incident side. Moreover, SACNT arrays are found to increase the acoustic ability of MPP absorbers with the same structure parameters monotonically at lengths up to 600 μm in the condition that the SACNT arrays surface is used as the incident side.     

Identification of noise sources on a residential split-system air-conditioner using sound intensity measurements

This paper presents the results of experimental studies of the noise of a residential split-system air-conditioner unit. The compressor and condenser and associated fans were removed from the unit and did not form part of the studies. Care was taken with the unit to separate the inlet and exhaust noise from the noise radiated from the cabinet. The measurements were made with a two-microphone sound intensity probe and these resulted in sound power level data. The sound power levels produced by radiation from the inlet, exhaust and cabinet were obtained for five different volume flow rates. The effect on the sound power generated by removing the coil was investigated. Measurements and subjective studies show that the low frequency sound is predominantly radiated from the exhaust and inlet. At high frequency, the cabinet noise dominates.