A scale model experiment for the study of sound propagation in urban areas

Abstract A 1:50 scale model experiment for the study of sound propagation in streets is developed. Special interest is focused on the realization of the scale model in order to reproduce fundamental physical phenomena in streets such as multiple reflections and diffuse-scattering by facade irregularities. Acoustic measurements in the model are achieved using a spark discharge sound source with high level, very good reproducibility and broad band spectra. Digital processing of the measured signals in the scale model are especially developed, first to compensate the excess of atmospheric attenuation in the scale model in relation to the atmospheric attenuation in the full scale model, then, to extend the sound decay of the impulse responses beyond the noise level. The sound attenuation and the reverberation measured in the scale model are compared with real measurements in a street. The validity range of the model experiment is then discussed.

[1]  C. I. Malme,et al.  Sound Propagation in Urban Areas , 1965 .

[2]  R. Lyon.  Role of multiple reflections and reverberation in urban noise propagation , 1974 .

[3]  K. Yeow.  External reverberation times observed in built-up areas , 1976 .

[4]  Vincent Grillon,et al.  Auralisation dans les maquettes : traitement des réponses impulsionnelles , 1994 .

[5]  Paul Randall Donavan.  Sound propagation in urban spaces , 1976 .

[6]  P. J. Vermeulen,et al.  AN EXPERIMENTAL AND THEORETICAL STUDY OF THE MODELLING OF ROAD TRAFFIC NOISE AND ITS TRANSMISSION IN THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT , 1980 .

[7]  H. G. Davies.  Multiple‐reflection diffuse‐scattering model for noise propagation in streets , 1978 .

[8]  K. A. Mulholland.  The prediction of traffic noise using a scale model , 1979 .

[9]  Kohei Yamamoto,et al.  SCALE MODEL EXPERIMENTS FOR THE PREDICTION OF ROAD TRAFFIC NOISE AND THE DESIGN OF NOISE CONTROL FACILITIES , 1990 .

[10]  Athanasios Papoulis,et al.  Probability, Random Variables and Stochastic Processes , 1965 .

[11]  Henry E. Bass,et al.  Absorption of sound by the atmosphere , 1984 .

[12]  A. Cops,et al.  REVERBERATION IN TOWN STREETS , 1976 .

[13]  Jean-Dominique Polack,et al.  Digital evaluation of the acoustics of small models: The midas package , 1989 .

[14]  H. Bass,et al.  Absorption of sound by the atomosphire , 1984 .

[15]  Marinus M. Boone,et al.  A new method to acquire impulse responses in concert halls , 1980 .

[16]  N. Popplewell,et al.  Method of predicting Leq created by urban traffic , 1977 .