The image edge model

Abstract

Noise from traffic, industry and neighborhood is a prominent feature in urban environments. In these environments, sound reaches receiver points through reflections and diffractions. Real-time auralization of outdoor scenarios is a common goal for presenting sound characteristics in a realistic and intuitive fashion. Challenges in this attempt can be identified on many levels, however the most prominent part is sound propagation simulation. Geometrical acoustics has become the de-facto standard for the prediction of acoustic propagation in a virtual scenario. A considerable difficulty is the determination of the diffracted sound field component, because it is a wave effect that must be be explicitly integrated into the search algorithm of valid propagation paths. A deterministic solution to this problem is implemented that establishes propagation paths with an arbitrary constellation of far-field interactions at geometrical boundaries, i.e. reflecting surfaces and diffracting edges in large distance to each other. The result is an open-source code algorithm for propagation paths that follows the wave front normal and assembles metadata required for further acoustic modelling, such as incoming and outgoing angles, reflection material and geometrical details for the construction of the diffracting wedge. Calculation times are outlined and a proof of concept is presented that describes the employment of the propagation algorithm as well as the determination of an acoustic transfer function based on the input of the intermediate path representation. Future research will focus on prioritization of path contributions according to physical and psychoacoustical culling schemes.

Keywords

• environmental noise
• urban sound propagation
• auralization
• diffraction
• image source model