The graduate acoustics education program in the School of Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University

Abstract

The Acoustics and Noise Control Research Program of the School of Mechanical Engineering at Purdue offers educational and research opportunities at both the undergraduate and graduate level. In addition to undergraduate elective courses in noise control and vibration measurement and control, two graduate engineering acoustics classes are offered within the school. In addition, complementary graduate courses are offered in the areas of digital signal processing, using mechanical vibrations of discretized systems, vibrations of plates and shells, intermediate fluid mechanics, theory and design of control systems, digital control, numerical methods in mechanical engineering, and finite and boundary element methods. Graduate students also have access to a broad spectrum of courses taught in the School of Electrical Engineering and the Department of Physics. Eight faculty members and approximately 20 graduate students participate in the Acoustics and Noise Control Research Program. Most of the research is conducted at the Ray W. Herrick Laboratories. The facilities of the laboratories include an anechoic chamber with a useful working volume of 50 m3, a reverberation room with a volume of 200 m3, and a semi-anechoic chamber with a useful volume of 550 m3. Current research investigations consider: active noise control, active vibration control, structure-borne noise, nonlinear system modeling, numerical noise control design methods, acoustical imaging, modeling of acoustical foams, signature analysis and machinery monitoring, noise source identification, and application of noise control techniques to automotive powertrains and large refrigerant compressors.