Predicting Outdoor Sound

Book excerpt: Predicting Outdoor Sound provides a scholarly yet practical examination of the phenomena that affect outdoor sound close to the ground and its prediction. It is devoted to bringing together theories and data to give both researchers and practitioners the basis for deciding which model to use in a given situation. The book covers recent advances in theory, new and old empirical schemes, available data and comparisons between theory and data. Detailed case studies of predictions and their uses are presented. There are chapters on ground impedance models and data, methods of measuring ground impedance, ground effects in homogenous atmospheres, sound propagation in refracting and turbulent atmospheres, sound propagation from moving sources, the performance of outdoor noise barriers, the effects of tall vegetation and both numerical and empirical methods for predicting the various influences on outdoor sound. International in its applications, and written by authors who have been key in many of the recent advances, Predicting Outdoor Sound is a definitive reference for the acoustic engineer.