A conjugated infinite element method for half-space acoustic problems

Many acoustic problems (especially in environmental acoustics) involve half-space domains bounded by a plane subjected to normal admittance boundary conditions. In the ''low'' frequency domain, the numerical treatment of such problems usually relies on boundary element methods based on a particular Green's function suited for the half-(admittance) plane. In the present paper, an alternative hybrid finite/infinite element scheme is proposed. The method relies on a direct treatment of nonhomogeneous boundary conditions along infinite element edges (or faces). The procedure is validated through comparisons with an available reference solution. (C) 2000 Acoustical Society of America. [S0001-4966(00)03210-0].