Paul S. Kovitz
Penn State Univ., Graduate Prog. in Acoust., 117 Appl. Sci. Bldg., University Park, PA 16802
The image method is often used by computer programs to model sound fields in rooms. Because programs that use the image method ignore the effects of diffraction, the programs fail to model the sound field correctly when a room has an arbitrary shape. A new computer program that attempts to address this limitation has been developed. The program models both geometrical and diffracted components of the sound field by combining the image method with infinite wedge theory. Experimental data are used to evaluate the validity of this new program.