Group delay and reverberation in multi degree of freedom systems

Abstract

Signals that travel in multi degree of freedom (dof) systems experience group delay that is a function of system geometry, modal density, damping, and signal processing procedures. This paper is interested in developing inverse filters for such systems for the purposes of mechanism and structural diagnostics, and the dereverberation of response signals. The design of inverse filters is greatly aided if the process can begin with approximations to the system transfer functions that are based (at least in part) on conceptual models for the system dynamics. In this paper, the theoretical basis for such models is outlined, including the effects of signal processing procedures. The various elements of these models that have been tested experimentally, and the results of these studies will be presented.