Mechanical Engineering
Acoustics & Vibration Lab
Location: East Stadium
The Vibrations Laboratory has a range of acceleration and displacement measurement equipment with frequency range of 0 to 10 kHz. Dedicated data recording and analysis equipment is available as well as personal computer-based systems. The facility supports a variety of signature analysis procedures and vibrations analysis studies.
Currently, utilization of the lab involves preparing the original rugged, portable equipment used to determine the length of in-situ wooden bridge pilings through random vibration for independent field verification by the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) on at least 300 pilings over 18 months. The project will accomplish several goals, including moving beyond only wooden pilings to test both steel and concrete as well, creating user confidence for TDOT officials, upgrading software to incorporate the latest improvements in automated estimation processes, and refining hardware to enhance the data obtained and improve the durability and ruggedness of the equipment.
- Non-destructive evaluation
- Ultrasonic testing
- Reverberation & anechoic chamber testing
- Modal analysis
- Computer data acquisition
- Acceleration, displacement, force, impedance measurements
- Fiber optics
Acoustics and Noise Control
Tennessee Technological University owns the most extensive noise control facility in the State of Tennessee with two adjacent reverberation rooms and an anechoic chamber. A typical array of sound measuring equipment is available and includes sound level meters and analyzers, function generators, rotating boom, noise sources and noise dosimeters.
The small reverberation room has a volume of 173 m3 and can be used for high frequency sound measurements. The large reverberation room, with a volume of 305 m3, is used for low frequency noise measurement. This room was designed and built with a spring suspension system in order to operate independently and to isolate it from external low frequency vibrations. Comparative sound power or absorption measurements can be made in either room, based on the frequencies of interest. Windows of several sizes are also available between the two rooms so that when a device is mounted there, inlet and outlet noise can be separated and measured independently or transmission properties can be measured. The large reverberation room is not yet certified but meets ANSI and ISO standards for determination of sound power levels and absorption measurements.
For more information regarding acoustics and vibrations research and opportunities, contact Dr. Sally Pardue, 931.372.6375 or SPardue@tntech.edu or Dr. Corinne Darvennes, 931.372.3253 or CDarvennes@tntech.edu.
