Quantification of the Psychoacoustic Effect of Noise from Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.

This paper presents the results of a study evaluating the human perception of the noise produced by four different small quadcopter unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). This study utilised measurements and recordings of the noise produced by the quadcopter UAVs in hover and in constant-speed flight at a fixed altitude. Measurements made using a ½â€³ microphone were used to calculate a range of different noise metrics for each noise event. Noise recordings were also made using a spherical microphone array (an Eigenmike system). The recordings were reproduced using a 3D sound reproduction system installed in a large anechoic chamber located at The University of Auckland. Thirty-seven participants were subjected to the recordings and asked to rate their levels of annoyance in response to the noise, and asked to perform a simple cognitive task in order to assess the level of distraction caused by the noise. This study discusses the noise levels measured during the test and how the various noise metrics relate to the annoyance ratings. It was found that annoyance strongly correlates with the sound pressure level and loudness metrics, and that there is a very strong correlation between the annoyance caused by a UAV in hover and in flyby at the same height. While some significant differences between the distraction caused by the UAV noise for different cases were observed in the cognitive distraction test, the results were inconclusive. This was likely due to a ceiling effect observed in the participants' test scores.

A theoretical model of fuselage pressure levels due to fan tones radiated from the intake of an installed turbofan aero-engine.

An existing theoretical model to predict the pressure levels on an aircraft's fuselage is improved by incorporating a more physically realistic method to predict fan tone radiation from the intake of an installed turbofan aero-engine. Such a model can be used as part of a method to assess cabin noise. Fan tone radiation from a turbofan intake is modelled using the exact solution for the radiated pressure from a spinning mode exiting a semi-infinite cylindrical duct immersed in a uniform flow. This approach for a spinning duct mode incorporates scattering/diffraction by the intake lip, enabling predictions of the radiated pressure valid in both the forward and aft directions. The aircraft's fuselage is represented by an infinitely long, rigid cylinder. There is uniform flow aligned with the cylinder, except close to the cylinder's surface where there is a constant-thickness boundary layer. In addition to single mode calculations it is shown how the model may be used to rapidly calculate a multi-mode incoherent radiation from the engine intake. Illustrative results are presented which demonstrate the relative importance of boundary-layer shielding both upstream and downstream of the source, as well as examples of the fuselage pressure levels due to a multi-mode tonal source at high Helmholtz number.

Prediction of sound transmission through, and radiation from, panels using a wave and finite element method.

This paper describes the extension of a wave and finite element (WFE) method to the prediction of noise transmission through, and radiation from, infinite panels. The WFE method starts with a conventional finite element model of a small segment of the panel. For a given frequency, the mass and stiffness matrices of the segment are used to form the structural dynamic stiffness matrix. The acoustic responses of the fluids surrounding the structure are modelled analytically. The dynamic stiffness matrix of the segment is post-processed using periodic structure theory, and coupled with those of the fluids. The total dynamic stiffness matrix is used to obtain the response of the medium to an incident acoustic pressure. Excitation of the structure by oblique plane waves and a diffuse sound field are considered. The response to structural excitation and the consequent radiation are determined. Since the size of the WFE model is small, computational times are small. Various example applications are presented to illustrate the approach, including a thin isotropic panel, an antisymmetric, cross-ply sandwich panel and a symmetric panel with an orthotropic core.

Fuselage boundary-layer refraction of fan tones radiated from an installed turbofan aero-engine.

A distributed source model to predict fan tone noise levels of an installed turbofan aero-engine is extended to include the refraction effects caused by the fuselage boundary layer. The model is a simple representation of an installed turbofan, where fan tones are represented in terms of spinning modes radiated from a semi-infinite circular duct, and the aircraft's fuselage is represented by an infinitely long, rigid cylinder. The distributed source is a disk, formed by integrating infinitesimal volume sources located on the intake duct termination. The cylinder is located adjacent to the disk. There is uniform axial flow, aligned with the axis of the cylinder, everywhere except close to the cylinder where there is a constant thickness boundary layer. The aim is to predict the near-field acoustic pressure, and in particular, to predict the pressure on the cylindrical fuselage which is relevant to assess cabin noise. Thus no far-field approximations are included in the modelling. The effect of the boundary layer is quantified by calculating the area-averaged mean square pressure over the cylinder's surface with and without the boundary layer included in the prediction model. The sound propagation through the boundary layer is calculated by solving the Pridmore-Brown equation. Results from the theoretical method show that the boundary layer has a significant effect on the predicted sound pressure levels on the cylindrical fuselage, owing to sound radiation of fan tones from an installed turbofan aero-engine.

Near-field sound radiation of fan tones from an installed turbofan aero-engine.

The development of a distributed source model to predict fan tone noise levels of an installed turbofan aero-engine is reported. The key objective is to examine a canonical problem: how to predict the pressure field due to a distributed source located near an infinite, rigid cylinder. This canonical problem is a simple representation of an installed turbofan, where the distributed source is based on the pressure pattern generated by a spinning duct mode, and the rigid cylinder represents an aircraft fuselage. The radiation of fan tones can be modelled in terms of spinning modes. In this analysis, based on duct modes, theoretical expressions for the near-field acoustic pressures on the cylinder, or at the same locations without the cylinder, have been formulated. Simulations of the near-field acoustic pressures are compared against measurements obtained from a fan rig test. Also, the installation effect is quantified by calculating the difference in the sound pressure levels with and without the adjacent cylindrical fuselage. Results are shown for the blade passing frequency fan tone radiated at a supersonic fan operating condition.

Executive summary: A Quick Reference Guide for Managing Fecal Incontinence (FI).

This article is an executive summary of A Quick Reference Guide for Managing Fecal Incontinence (FI), which was published September 2013 by the WOCN Society's Continence Committee. The quick reference guide provides an overview of fecal incontinence and how it is commonly managed. The information has been compiled so that nurses can quickly access a wide array of information in a single resource to facilitate patient care and patient/staff education. The topics include a definition of FI, epidemiologic data, psychosocial impact, costs, a brief description of bowel physiology, causes of FI, skin complications, assessment, management, patient education, and recommendations for future research. The complete quick reference guide also includes 5 appendices. The appendices provide additional information about predisposing factors for FI, assessment tools, medications and foods that affect gastric or colonic motility, and examples of FI management systems/collectors. The complete quick reference guide is available in the Members-Only library at the WOCN Society's Web site (http://www.wocn.org), and it can also be purchased from the online bookstore at the Society's Web site. This article provides a synopsis of the key features contained in the complete quick reference guide.