Wednesday, February 4, 2026 Lunch and networking at 12:00, seminar starting at 12:30 Engineering Collaborative Research and Education (ECoRE) Building, Room 504
Jonathan Young Assistant Research Professor Applied Research Laboratory at Penn State
Have you ever wondered what the Liberty Bell sounded like ringing in the Pennsylvania State House in the year 1800? Computational acoustics might have the answer. Numerical solutions, such as those obtained from finite and boundary element methods, can be used to predict the noise radiated by a vibrating structure with accuracy. Several methods are discussed for different frequency ranges, with the modal reduction approach being the primary method used for its efficiency. The pros and cons of using modes to represent vibratory responses is discussed, as well as how to couple these modes to a surrounding acoustic fluid. Additionally, different diagnostic and analysis tools will be used to identify dominant acoustic radiation patterns of the bell. These tools are then used to predict the sound of the Liberty Bell before and after it cracked.