Numerical computation of sound propagation over a noise screen based on ananalytic approximation of the wind speed field

The effect of wind on the performance of a noise screen is studied. Based o n wind tunnel experiments and numerical computations of flow over an obstac le, an analytic approximation of the wind speed field near a noise screen i s developed. The wind speed field is used for numerical computations of dow nwind sound propagation over a screen, performed with the parabolic equatio n method. For various source-screen-receiver configurations, it is found th at the effect of wind on the performance of a screen is large. Further, it is found that the effect of screen-induced wind speed gradients cannot be i gnored, in many situations. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reser ved.