Abstract
The amplification at resonance of a vibrating structure is dependent upon the damping which can be specified by the Q-factor. A link has been established between structural resonance and room acoustics by the derivation of an equivalent Q-factor for a standing wave in a room. The link has been obtained by equating the decay rate for free structural vibration with the rate of decay for a standing wave based on the reverberation time of the room. The analysis has been simplified by limiting the frequency range to below 500 Hz and by taking only a low to medium value for the sound absorption coefficient for the room. An example of the application of the concept of an equivalent Q-factor has been given by estimating the time required to build up a standing wave in a room compared with the duration for a train to pass.
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