• To impart to students, having no previous experience of measurement techniques, the fundamental principles of sound and vibration measurement, data analysis and interpretation.
• To introduce modern wordprocessing and spreadsheet package, and to advise the student in writing more effective technical reports.

• To introduce students of acoustics and vibration from a wide range of backgrounds to basic instrumentation and measurement systems. These lectures are accompanied by support lectures in data analysis using spreadsheets, library skills, technical writing and basic word processing skills.

• Make measurements of basic acoustic and vibration quantities, such as sound pressure level, sound power and vibration velocity.
• Be familiar with modern transducers and their associated electronics.
• Quantify error and uncertainty in basic acoustic and vibration measurements.
• Estimate source sound power from measurements of sound pressure level under different conditions and be aware of the assumptions and limitations underlying the relationships.
• Make measurements of sound intensity.
• Use a modern sound level meter. Make measurements of the sound pressure level of continuous and transient signals, and have a practical understanding of the use of standard bandwidths such as a third-octave bands, and standard frequency-weightings such a ‘A-weighting’.
• Measure the mode of vibration of elementary structures, such as a beam. Have a practical understanding of the concepts of mode shape functions and natural frequencies.
• Use modern data analysis hardware for analysing acoustic and vibration signals in the time domain and in the frequency domain.
• Have a practical understanding of single-channel frequency domain concepts such as a frequency spectrum and spectral density.
• Have a practical understanding of dual-channel frequency domain concepts such as a cross-spectrum and coherence.
• Use a modern word processing and spread sheet package.
• Prepare a laboratory report, including the presentation of data and its critical analysis and interpretation.
• Find your way around a modern library and use its database and archive resources.

• Read, understand and interpret the literature relating to experimental results in acoustics and vibration.
• Design experimental procedures for making acoustic and vibration measurements.
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Undertake measurements of basic acoustics and vibration quantities, such as sound pressure level and vibration velocity.
• Use a modern sound level meter.
• Use modern data acquisition and analysis hardware.
• Make sound power measurements according to the ISO standard.
• Measure modes of vibration on a simple structure.
• Use a modern word processing package.
• Use a modern spreadsheet package.
• Use a library effectively, in particular its database and archive resources.

• Undertake general laboratory work.
• Use modern word processing and spreadsheet packages.
• Write an effective technical report. 

5 laboratory classes, of approximately 4 hours duration, spread over Semester 1.

Interactive classes in ‘Word’ and ‘Excel’, of approximately 4 hours duration each.

Classes in technical writing.

Where appropriate, a preliminary lecture covering the theory underlying the laboratory will be given and, where necessary, a conclusion lecture given at least one week following the laboratory. The laboratory class will be supervised by either a member of academic staff or by a suitably qualified postgraduate student. The supervisor will be permanently on hand to offer guidance to the student, where necessary. Laboratory classes will be normally restricted to no more than 6 students per piece of laboratory equipment.

Students need to work in their own time to complete the laboratory work and are able to go to the lecturers for assistance. Laboratory reports will be returned to the student normally within two weeks of the submission deadline. Note that the first laboratory will include comments designed to assist the student in producing a more effective notebook presentation in subsequent laboratory classes. 

During the laboratory class, students will work from a laboratory sheet whose purpose is to guide the student through the experimental procedure. The sheet will offer guidance on what is expected from the laboratory report.

Example sheets and workbooks are provided to support the ‘Word’ and ‘Excel’ lectures. The students are expected to complete the assignments and will work at their own pace under the supervision of the lecturer.

• Laboratory classes provide informal assessment through individual interaction.
• Continual feedback to student during supervised Word and Excel assignments.

Measurement of Elementary Quantities

• Sound pressure level measurements
• Sound power measurement
• Reverberation time measurement
• Intensity measurement
• Vibration velocity measurement

Frequency Analysis

• The FFT and the frequency spectrum
• Windowing
• Continuous and transient signals
• Cross spectral measurement
• Coherence

Sound and Vibration Theory

• Diffuse field theory
• Modal analysis