Preface

Summary

The study of noise and vibration and the interactions between the two is now fast becoming an integral part of mechanical engineering courses at various universities and institutes of technology around the world. There are many undergraduate text books available on the subject of mechanical vibrations and there are also a relatively large number of books available on applied noise control. There are also several text books available on fundamental acoustics and its physical principles. The books on mechanical vibrations are inevitably only concerned with the details of vibration theory and do not cover the relationships between noise and vibration. The books on applied noise control are primarily designed for the practitioner and not for the engineering student. The books on fundamental acoustics generally concentrate on physical acoustics rather than on engineering noise and vibration and are therefore not particularly well suited to the needs of engineers. There are also several excellent specialist texts available on structural vibrations, noise radiation and the interactions between the two. These texts do not, however, cover the overall area of engineering noise and vibration, and are generally aimed at the postgraduate research student or the practitioner. There are also a few specialist reference handbooks available on shock and vibration and noise control – these books are also aimed at the practitioner rather than the engineering student.