Chapter (1)

" Acoustic Waves And

Sources "
❑ 1.1 Sound Waves
Sound waves belong to the longitudinal type,
where disturbance is along the direction of
propagation, with a form that depends on the
method of excitation.
1.1.1 Plane waves

Vibrating displacement
piston  +(x)x

Pipe

x x
Element equation of motion; force = mass x acceleration
p  2
− x A = xA
x t 2
Elasticity equation; stress = coefficient of elasticity x strain
d
−p = K
dx
 d
Adiabatic law; PV = cons tan t  − p = P
dx
1  2
• Wave equation,  2 =
c 2 t 2

General solution, ( ) ( )
 = f t −
x
c
+ b t +
x
c
Where

c  wave velocity = K ,

K  coefficient of elasticity = P ,

  density of medium ;

 273  P  3
 = 1.29   Kg / m
 T  0.76 

T
c = 331.4 m / sec
273
 Physical Quantities
➢ Pressure; P  total pressure = Po + p ,
Po  static pressure, p  sound pressure.
SPL  sound pressure level;
SPL = 20 log (p p ref ) dB , p ref = 20 Pa
1 Pa  1 Nt/m2 , 1 dyne/cm2  0.1 Nt/m2  1 bar
➢ Particle velocity; u  particle velocity =   t
➢ Sound intensity; I  sound intensity and in free progressive plane
wave; I = p 2 c = u 2c
➢ Sound density; D  sound density = p 2
 c 2

➢ Sound power; PWL  acoustic power level;

PWL = 10 log (W Wref ) dB , Wref = 10 −12 W
➢ Characteristic impedance; c  characteristic impedance,
c = 407 rayls for air at N.T.P.
 1.1.2 Spherical Waves

Velocity potential function 

u = −

p=
t

For harmonic variations with time, in the form e jt

p = j 
• Wave equation,
2 1 2
2
(r  ) = 2 2
(r  )
r c t
• General solution of forward wave,

 r
j  t − 
S
= e  c
4r

Where S = source strength,


S = lim r →0 
 t
(
2 
4r  

)
❑ 1.2 Sound Sources
1.2.1 Simple point source

A pulsating sphere produces spherical waves ,

S − jkr
= e
4r

Where k=
c
  1 
u = − = jk 1 + 
 jkr 

p  1 
Zsp  = c/  1 + 
u  jkr 

k 2 S2
WPS = c
4
1.2.2 Doublet source


-S S x

jkdS
 DS = sin  e− jkr
4r

k 2(kdS)2
W DS = c
12
1.2.3 Combination of point sources

Series of n identical point sources,

 nkd 
sin  sin  
n  2 
D = =
n 1  kd 
n sin  sin  
 2 
Straight line source Weighted straight line
12

 kl 
sin  sin    f (x ) e − jkxsin  dx

D =   , l=nd
2 −1 2
D =
 kl  12
 sin  
2   f (x ) dx
−1 2
1.2.4 Piston in an infinite baffle


u

=
( )
2u a 2 2J1(kasin ) − jkr
e
4r (kasin )
Radiation characteristics vs. ka

ka very small
1

5
3.8
5
Average specific acoustic impedance load
on the piston

 J1 ( 2ka )   K ( 2ka ) 
Zav.sp = c  1 −  + j  a  1
 ac.
 ka   2 ( ka ) 
3
 

Zav.sp  c
( ka )
2
+ j
8
a ac.
LF 2 3
Unbaffled piston
It acts as a doublet source of,

S = ua 2 , d = 8a 3

And the average specific acoustic impedance load on the

piston,

1
Zav.sp = Zav.sp
unbaffled 2 baffled