Introduction to Acoustics

Bruel & Kjaer

Norcross, Georgia
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 Agenda

z Introduction to Theory and Terminology

z The Decibel

z Frequency of Sound

z Measuring Sound

z Applications of Acoustics

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Sound

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Sound and Noise

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Terminology of Sound
Active Intensity Statistical analysis
RMS
Peak Fast
Slow Free Field/Pressure Field
Impulse
Sound Pressure Percentile level
dB
Logarithmic scales Weighting

Pascal Leq
L10
RMS
L90
Constant percentage bandwidth

1/1 and 1/3 Octave Analysis

Noise Dose

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Basic Parameters of Sound (cont.)
p2
Lp = 10 log10 2
Sound po
Receiver Pressure
Level po = 2 ×10−5 N / m2
= 20µPa

Sound
Path Intensity I
Level Li = 10 log10
I0
Io = 1pW / m2

Sound W
Source Power Lw = 10 log10
Level Wo
Wo = 1pW

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Pressure vs. Power

Pressure p [N/m2 = Pa]

Lp [dB] Analogy

Temperature t [°C]
Power P [W]

Power P [W]
Sound
Source

Electrical
Heater

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Sound Levels Under Free-field Conditions
Example:
r = 1.5 m
W p2
Sound Power Ι= =
= 0.01 Watt 4πr 2
ρc

Sound Power Sound Intensity Sound Pressure

W = 0.01 Watt Ι=
W
=
0.01 p= Ι ⋅ ρc = 0.000707 ⋅ 400
2πr 2 2π ⋅ 1.5 2 = 0.532 Pascal
= 0.000707 W m2
W Ι p2
L W = 10 log10 dB L Ι = 10 log10 dB Lp = 10 log10 2 dB
W0 Ι0 p0
0.01 7.07 ⋅ 10 − 4 = 10 log10
0.532 2
= 10 log10 −12 dB = 10 log10 dB
10 10 −12
dB
(20 ⋅ 10 )
−6 2

LW = 100 dB L Ι = 88.5 dB Lp = 88.5 dB

LI = Lp under free-field conditions
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Sound Pressure Propagation

Pressure
[Pa]

100 000
Pascal

Time

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Range of Sound Pressure Levels
Sound Pressure, p Sound Pressure Level, Lp
[Pa]
140 [dB]
100

120
10

100
1

80
0.1

60
0.01

40
0.001

20
0.000 1

0
0.000 01

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Converting Pascals to Decibels

dB re 20 µPa
⎛ p⎞
Lp = 20 log ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟
⎝ p0 ⎠

(p0 = 20 µPa = 20 × 10-6 Pa)

Ex. 1: p = 1 Pa Ex. 2: p = 31.7 Pa

1 317.
Lp = 20 log 20 × 10 −6 Lp = 20 log 20 × 10 −6

= 20 log 50 000 = 20 log 1.58 × 10-6

= 94 dB = 124 dB

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Human Perception of dBs

Change in Sound Change in

Level (dB) Perceived Loudness

3 Just perceptible

5 Noticeable difference

10 Twice (or 1/2) as loud

15 Large change

20 Four times (or 1/4) as loud

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Types of Sound Sources
Point source

Line source
r: Lp
2r: Lp − 3 dB

Plane source
r: Lp
2r: Lp − 6 dB
r: Lp 2r: Lp

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Anechoic and Reverberant Enclosures

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Pressure Field

z Loudspeaker

z Enclosure

z Microphone

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Sound Fields
Lp Near Far field
field
Free field Reverberant field

6 dB

Distance, r
A1 2 × A1

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 Frequency Range of Different Sound Sources

Frequency
1 10 100 1000 10 000 [Hz]

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 Wavelength and Frequency

c
λ=
f
λ
λ

Wavelength, λ [m]
20 10 5 2 1 0.2 0.1 0.05

10 20 50 100 200 500 1k 2k 5k 10 k

Frequency, f [Hz]

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 Why Make a Frequency Analysis

B C

Amplitude Amplitude
D E
C
B
A
A
Time

Frequency
E Sound
D

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1/1 and 1/3 Octave Filters
L
B = 1/1 Octave
1/1 Octave

f2 = 2 × f1
Frequency B = 0 .7 × f0 ≈ 70%
f1 = 708 f2 = 1410 [Hz]
f0 = 1000

L
B = 1/3 Octave 1/3 Octave

f2 = 3
2 × f1 = 1.25 × f1
B = 0 .2 3 × f 0 ≈ 2 3 %
Frequency
f1 = 891 f2 = 1120 [Hz]
f0 = 1000

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Third-octave and Octave Passband
Band No. Nominal Centre Third-octave Octave
Frequency Hz Passband Hz Passband Hz
1 1.25 1.12 – 1.41
2 1.6 1.41 – 1.78
3 2 1.78 – 2.24 1.41 – 2.82
4 2.5 2.24 – 2.82
5 3.15 2.82 – 3.55
6 4 3.55 – 4.47 2.82 – 5.62

27 500 447 – 562 355 – 708

28 630 562 – 708
29 800 708 – 891
30 1000 891 – 1120 780 – 1410
31 1250 1120 – 1410
32 1600 1410 – 1780

40 10 K 8910 – 11200
41 1.25 K 11.2 – 14.1
42 16 K 14.1 – 17.8 K 11.2 – 22.4 K
43 20 K 17.8 – 22.4 K

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 Auditory Field

140
dB Threshold of Pain
120

100 Limit of Damage Risk

Sound Pressure Level

80 Music

60 Speech

40

20
Threshold
in Quiet
0

20 50 100 200 500 1k 2k 5k 10k 20 k

Frequency [Hz]

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 Equal Loudness Contours for Pure Tones

130
120 120
110
Sound 100 100
pressure 90
80 80
level, Lp
70
(dB re 20 µPa)
60 60
50
40 40
30
20 20
10
0
Phon
20 Hz 100 Hz 1 kHz 10 kHz
Frequency
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 40 dB Equal
L
Loudness Contours and A-Weight
p
(dB)
z 40 dB Equal 40 40
Loudness
Contour
normalized to 0 20
dB at 1kHz

20 Hz 100 1 kHz 10 kHz

Lp
(dB)
z 40 dB Equal 0
Loudness
Contour inverted 40
and compared -20
with A-weighting
A-weighting -40

20 Hz 100 1 kHz 10 kHz

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Frequency Weighting Curves

Lp D
[dB]
Lin.

0
C
D
B+C A
-20
A
B
-40

-60

Frequency
10 20 50 100 200 500 1k 2k 5k 10 k 20 k [Hz]

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The Sound Level Analyzer

dB 1/3 Octave Analysis

100
1/1, 1/3 oct Weighting
80
RMS
Peak 60

40
Fast
Slow
Impulse 20
125 250 500 1k 2k 4k 8k LA

87.2
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Time Weighting

Time

Lp Impulse (1.5 )
Slow (1 s)
Lp
Fast (125 ms)

Slow (1 s)
Time
Fast (125 ms)
Impulse (35 ms)

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Equivalent Level, Leq

⎛ p(t ) ⎞
2
1 T

T ∫0
Leq = 10 log10 ⎜ ⎟ dt
⎝ p0 ⎠

Lp

Leq

Time

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Sound Power

z Product noise labeling

z Government regulations
z ‘Apples to Apples’
comparison of noise
z Can predict SPL with
knowledge of sound field

z Three ways to calculate sound power:

z Free Field
z Reverberant Field Y
z Sound Intensity

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Intensity Mapping

z Visually
identify where
sounds come
from
z Rank sound
power
contribution of
individual
components
z Make modern
art?

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Sound Quality
L = 63 dBA L = 63 dBA L = 63 dBA

zz Sound
SoundQuality
Qualityisisaaparameter
parameterthatthatsells
sellsthe
theproduct
product
zz A-weighted
A-weightednoise
noiselevels
levelsand
andsound
soundpower
powerarearenot
notsufficiently
sufficiently
sensitive
sensitiveto
tofully
fullycharacterize
characterizethethe“quality”
“quality”ofofproduct
productsound
sound
zz Sound
SoundQuality
Qualityisisfunction
functionof
ofconsumer
consumerexpectations
expectations

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Building Acoustics
z Reverberation Time
z Transmission Loss
z Leakage between rooms
z Impact Isolation
z Speech Intelligibility

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Environmental Noise Models

Large Plane
Smaller size

Mid Sized
Noise Contours
Mid Sized

Smaller

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Conclusion

z Clear understanding of the three basic acoustic

parameters: pressure, intensity, power

z What a decibel is and why we use it in acoustics

z Differences between Anechoic, Reverberant, and

Pressure sound fields

z How wavelengths are calculated and the importance of

frequency analysis in acoustics

z Introduction to some different acoustic applications

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Literature for Further Reading
References
z Acoustic Noise Measurements
Brüel & Kjær (BT 0010-12) Journals and Magazines
z Journal of the Acoustical
z Noise Control - Principles and Practice
Society of America
Brüel & Kjær (188-81)
z Noise Control Engineering
z Noise and Vibration Control
z Sound and Vibration Magazine
L. L. Beranek, ed. INCE
z Bruel & Kjaer Magazine
z Industrial Noise Control
Louis Bell, Dekker Websites
z www.bkhome.com
z The Science and Application of Acoustics
z asa.aip.org
Daniel Raichel, AIP Press
z www.inceusa.org
z Industrial Noise and Vibration Control z www.nonoise.org
Irwin and Graf, Prentice Hall
z Acoustics
L.L. Beranek, Acoustical Society of America
z Acoustical Designing in Architecture
V. Knudsen, C. Harris Acoustical Society of America

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