Generation of Structure-Borne Sound in Elastic Structures by Neighbouring Sound Sources

Sound sources in the vicinity of structures such as plates, membranes or shells may generate a considerable amount of vibratory energy in the structure. It is shown that this energy originates in the near field of the source. Therefore it is especially high when the sound source has a strong near field. Sound sources in water may generate vibratory energy in an elastic structure which is several orders of magnitude higher than the sound energy radiated by the sources alone. In this paper a general theory for plane, homogeneous structures and for cylindrical shells is given. The following examples of sound sources are treated: Monopoles and dipoles either stationary or moving with constant velocity, growing and decaying quadrupoles, and dipoles rotating in a circle.