Teaching interior noise prediction using computers

In most situations the prediction of noise levels inside rooms is complicated by several factors. First, the sound field may not have a truly uniform reverberant component. This is particularly true in many industrial environments where the ceiling height may be disproportionately low for the size of the floor plan. Secondly, most rooms have several sources present at once. Some sources may be large in extent, or may best be represented by a line sound source. A computer program, originally written for use in acoustic consulting work using a small computer, has been modified and used to help students explore the features of these sound fields, and to learn something about the efficacy of noise control measures such as absorption and barriers. The program will be described and the ideas behind its development discussed.