Volume 4, Number 1, March, 1996 - Noise News International

European NewsA. Cops, European EditorFRANCEInternational Acoustical Firms to Collaborate.Two major acoustical consultingfirms, Commins Acoustics Workshopand Acentech Incorporated, have agreedto collaborate in pursuing projects involvingarchitectural acoustics and noisecontrol in performance spaces.Commins Acoustics Workshop basedin Paris, France, has been involved withthe design of many concert halls, operahouses, theaters, and cultural facilitiesthroughout Europe. In the USA, Comminsis currently working on the renovationat the Ravinia Festival in Chicagoand the renovation of the John F. KennedyCenter for the Performing Arts inWashington, DC; Commins formerly wasinvolved with preparing the acousticalprogram for the Walt Disney Concert Hallin Los Angeles. In Europe, Dr. Commins'projects include the Auditorium and ConcertHall at the Musee d'Orsay; the Sallede Concerts de I'Arsenal in Metz; theGrande Halle and Cite de la Musique atLa Villette; and the Opera Regional etPalais des Congres, Corum de Montpellier.Acentech's acoustical consultingwork encompasses such projects as thenew Spivey Hall in Clayton, Georgia,USA; Coors Stadium in Denver, Colorado,USA; National Foreign AffairsTraining Center in Arlington Hall, Virginia,USA; and a Recital Hall at GrinnellCollege currently under design.Acentech Incorporated has offices inCambridge, Massachusetts, USA, andLos Angeles, California, USA. Acentechspecializes in architectural acoustics,audiovisual and sound system design,noise and vibration control, and environmentaland industrial acoustics.DENMARKBriiel & Kjrer Announces CloseCooperationwith SDRC. Bruel & Kjer hasannounced a software distribution agreementwith Structural ~namics ResearchCorporation (SDRC T ), a leading internationalsupplier of mechanical designautomation, testing and product datamanagement software.At the initial stage of an ongoing cooperation,Bruel & Kjer will supply turnkeysound quality engineering solutions,based on SDRC's I-DEAS Sound QualityEngineering(TM) software and its ownrange of binaural recording equipment.These engineering solutions are targetedfor the growing demand for soundquality testing. A range of turnkey systemswill enable Bruel & Kjer customersto measure, analyze, and modify productaudio signatures to produce a more desirablesound and improve the perceivedquality of its products.SOUTH AFRICAA workshop and conference, Noise andVibration '95, was held on 1995 November7-8 at the conference center of theUniversity of Pretoria under the auspicesof the Southern African Institute of MechanicalEngineers and the Southern AfricanAcoustics Institute (SAAI). Theattendance was more than 120 persons,and included attendees from as far awayas Algeria and Australia.Two keynote addresses were given ­Vibration Monitoring and analysis for rotatingmachinery by D.E. Bentley and A.Muszynska from the Bentley Rotor DynamicsResearch Corporation in Minden,Nevada, USA, and The vibro-acousticreciprocity principle and applications tonoise control by FJ. Fahy from the Instituteof Sound and Vibration Research inSouthampton, United Kingdom.The general areas covered at the conferencewere:• Condition Monitoring and diagnosis• Noise and vibration attenuation• Active noise and vibration control• Testing and analysis techniques• Case studies• Noise, vibration, and man• Fluid-structure interactionSeveral members of the SAAI presentedpapers at the conference. The titlesinclude:• A trackside non-intrusive vibrationbasedsystem for monitoring the developmentofwheel flats on rolling stockat normal train speeds• An array STSF system for noise controlinvestigations in the automotiveindustry• Monitoring reciprocating machinesusing vibration and pressure signals• Mitigation ofroad traffic noise• The active control of transient noisetransmission - a design example• How many actuators do I really needto control or excite a vibrating continuousstructure?• Strategy for noise control in a 3.6 gWEskom power station• A comparison of ceiling-plenumtransmission - calculation methods• Standing waves in automobile exhaustsystems• Modal testing for structural damageassessment on industrial structuresFurther information on the activitiesof the SAAI may be obtained from theSAAI at Postbus 912-169, Silverton0127, South Africa.TURKEYThe Turkish Acoustical Society and theInstanbu1Technical University Faculty ofMechanical Engineering have announceda short course on Applied Modal Testing:Theory and Practice to be held at theInstanbul Technical University on 1996April 02-04. The lecturers will be DavidJ. Ewins of the Imperial College of Scienceand Technology, University of London,Harry Zaveri, Brtiel & Kjer,Denmark, and Kevin Gatzwiller, Bruel &Kjrer, Denmark.Further information may be obtainedfrom Professor H. Temel Belek, TurkishAcoustical Society, ITU MakinaFakultesi, 80191 Gumussuyu, Istanbul,Turkey.1996MarchNoiselNews International47