Modeling the sound fields in rooms with multiple sources using a hybrid image method including phase

The characteristics of an enclosed sound field excited by multiple sources are different from the case in which there is only one point source, especially when these sources have the same frequency and are placed closely. In this paper, the beam tracing method and the image source method are combined to model sound propagation throughout an enclosure. The hybrid image method, in which the phenomenon of interference is considered, has been developed to model the behaviors of multiple sources. Image sources of each source are computed by backtracing the conical beams, and their contributions are summated to calculate the sound pressure at any individual receiving point. The directivity and time delay of each source, which will have an affect on sound distribution, have also been considered in the model. Comparison between measurement and prediction has shown that the model has correctly simulated the characteristics of a sound field excited by multiple sources.