Units / MEC4444
MEC4444 · Introduction to engineering acoustics
2026 Handbook6 credit pointsLevel 4Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Last checked: 23 Aug 2026 UTCOverview
Fundamentals of sound and sound propagation, wave equation, Helmholtz equation, absorption, impedance and intensity, silencers. Transmission from one medium to another, applications and optimisation. Transmission through walls, mass law, coincidence and resonance. Sound transmission in the atmosphere, inverse square law, excess attenuation. Radiation of sound, directivity. Sound in enclosed spaces. Noise sources, noise reduction techniques, noise legislation and regulation, acceptable noise levels, hearing conservation, measurement and analysis of noise, design for low noise.
Offerings
The Handbook publishes no offerings for this unit.
Assessment
The Handbook does not list a final examination among the assessment items. That is not a guarantee there is none.
| # | Assessment | Type | Weight | Hurdle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Quiz | — | 10% | — |
| 2 | Class submission | — | 20% | — |
| 3 | Assignment | — | 10% | — |
| 4 | Labs | — | 5% | — |
| 5 | Test 1 | — | 15% | — |
| 6 | Test 2 | — | 40% | — |
Continuous assessment: 100%
Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.
Requisites
The Handbook lists no prerequisite, corequisite or prohibition for this unit.
Learning outcomes
- Discern basic noise measurement quantities such as sound pressure levels, sound power levels and sound intensity levels.
- Describe and predict the propagation of sound in a duct and in free space.
- Describe the fundamentals of reactive noise attenuation devices.
- Predict and measure the transmission loss through various materials.
- Select appropriate treatments to meet the room requirements based on direct and reverberant noise fields.
- Synthesise concepts of noise sources, paths and measurements in the determination of environmental noise impacts.
Workload
The minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of 3-6 hours of scheduled learning activities and 6-9 hours of independent study per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher-directed learning, peer-directed learning and online engagement. Independent study may include associated readings, assessment and preparation for scheduled activities.
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