Handbook

This course will focus on fundamental concepts of acoustics and noise. It begins with an introduction to basic features of sound and noise including pure tones, loudness of sound and weighting networks. Decibel scales, octave band frequency scales and measurement of sound are described. The effects of noise on people and acceptable limits for industrial and community noise are identified. The course presents the acoustic wave equation and introduces several important parameters including acoustic pressure, characteristic impedance and acoustic power. Sound wave transmission including transmission of plane waves between different media, through walls and along pipes is investigated. This course also examines a range of noise control treatments and introduces basic analyses of expansion chamber mufflers and pipe side-branches.