Sound propagation and wind flow around blockages and their correlation

Abstract

This study focuses on the behaviors of and the correlation between sound propagation and airflow around blockages and inside group of buildings. The ODEON and CFX software packages are used to simulate sound propagations and airflows in two types of models: a single vertical barrier model and a model of a group of buildings. To verify the airflow model, the simulation results are compared with experimental data obtained from a wind tunnel. In general, the experimental results show a reasonable level of agreement with the simulation results. The effects of different parameters on sound and flow reductions in the simulation models are also studied. Correlations between sound reduction and airflow reduction in different conditions are obtained and investigated. The main contribution of this study is to provide evidence on the correlation between sound reduction and airflow propagation. The results could potentially be used in converting sound reduction data - the onsite measurement of which is more reliable and straightforward - to airflow reduction data - the onsite measurement of which is subject to fluctuations due to uneven prevailing and local winds.