Abstract:

In recent years, numerical models have acquired a leading role in the academic-scientific field for the visualization and comprehension of many physical phenomena. Acoustic diffraction is a very important and difficult phenomenon to measure, since there are other overlapping phenomena that mask it.
For students of Master´s Degree in Acoustic Engineering is of great importance to know how to design devices against noise. For this design it is interesting to evaluate the phenomena involved and to distinguish them according to their relevance in order to determine the use to which it will give to the device.

This paper presents a numerical model using Finite Element Method (FEM), which allows separate analysis of each of the physical phenomena involved in wave propagation through an acoustic screen based on sonic crystal (SC). This model includes multiple phenomena, between them diffraction on the top edge of the screen.

The student can analyze only one phenomenon or several at once. This is possible by enabling or disabling different parts of the model. Thus, it facilitates the comprehension of wave propagation through the structure because the model makes visible which parts of the device contribute greater or lesser extent to this phenomenon.

Keywords:

Acoustics barriers, finite elements, sonic crystals, learning and teaching methodologies.