Title: Statistical Characterization of Sound Wave Scattering in 3D Urban Environments
Organization: US Army Corps of Engineers – Engineer Research and Development Center
(ERDC)
Location: Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL), Hanover, NH
Project Description: Detailed time-domain acoustic simulations will be processed to develop
simple globally-true characterizations of sound as it propagates in different urban areas.
Project Background: Acoustic and seismic sensors can be deployed to identify what’s
happening in an urban environment (e.g., traffic density, traffic types, and threat
identification and localization). Guidelines need to be developed for where to deploy
these sensors so they cover the greatest area with the maximum reliability and
redundancy, and provide the most accurate information. We have a state-of-the-practice
simulation code, PSTOP3D, which runs on the High Performance Computing (HPC)
Modernization Program (HPCMP) HPC machines, with each detailed simulation taking
2-3 hours to run. We want to harvest the information being generated by those
simulations to develop simple rules-of-thumb for sensor placement.
Using the results of many such runs, the technical approach will be to develop statistical
characterizations of the sound field propagation for different types of urban environments
The statistics of sound propagation to be characterized include, for example, sound decay
rate and coherence, which are two properties which affect whether a particular source can
be detected by acoustic sensors in the presence of typical urban noise. The types of urban
environments include city commercial, light-industrial, heavy industrial, residential, and
mixed, with a variety of building densities and types of terrain. The statistics will be
characterized for each of these “urban terrain zones.”
Benefits to Cadets: The cadets will gain experience using a Linux-based multi-processor
workstation, distributed-computing MATLAB, and high-performance computers at
ERDC. They will be introduced to state-of-the-art codes and algorithms for calculating
acoustic propagation in realistic terrain, and help author and possibly present a paper at
the HPC User’s Group Conference, which will provide excellent career experience.
Prerequisites: The cadets should be a rising junior or senior in engineering (e.g., mechanical,
aerospace, or electrical engineering) or computer science, and be familiar with using
MATLAB. Knowledge of Linux is not necessary. Successful applicant will be helped to
obtain credentials for getting an account on the High Performance Computers at ERDC’s
Major Shared Resource Center before starting their visit to CRREL (guidance and
support for doing this will be provided by the point-of-contact listed below).
Number of Academy Cadets/Midshipmen: 1-2
Requested duration: 3-5 weeks
Security Clearance required: US Citizens only, no other security clearance required.
Contact: Harley H. Cudney (603) 646-4821 (voice)
Email: harley.h.cudney@us.army.mil