Forced Vibration of a Panel and Radiation of Sound into a Room

This paper discusses the behaviour of structural panels subjected to acoustic excitation. In order to provide a clear understanding of the phenomenon of transmission and radiation of sound energy by a flexible panel, a purely analytical general solution of the wave equation with inhomogeneous boundary conditions has been found. The theoretical model consists of a flexible panel separating a room from open space, the walls of the room being considered as acoustically hard.

The general solution found explains the occurrence of the phenomenon of coincidence in finite surroundings. It also explains the radiation of sound energy at frequencies below and above wave coincidence. The analysis can also be applied to the case where a flexible panel partially covers one wall of a room. This case will be useful in the study of the effect of a sonic boom incident on a window of a room and in the study of sound transmission using a transmission suite.