Two branches of the same tree are growing together: Acoustics and the large-eddy simulation (LES) technique are based on the same fundamental equations of fluid dynamics. In the past, both scientific disciplines developed independently from each other. Acoustics is one of the classical disciplines of mechanics, having its roots in Greek and Roman times. LES is a comparatively young field of research that has benefited from the exponential growth in computational possibilities over the last few decades. Each scientific community has developed its own methods, definitions, and conventions, and it sometimes seems that experts and scientists in acoustics and LES techniques speak different languages. During the last few years, the LES and the acoustics communities realized that LES can be a comprehensive tool for acoustical research and design and intensified its use.

This book presents the current state of the art for LES used in acoustical investigations and comprises 19 contributions from 30 authors, each an expert in his field of research. A general introduction to the subject is followed by descriptions of the theoretical background of acoustics and of LES. A chapter on hybrid RANS–LES for acoustic source predictions follows. More details are given for numerical methods, such as discretization schemes, boundary conditions, and coupling aspects. Numerous applications are discussed ranging from simple geometries for mixing layers and jet flows to complex wing or car geometries. The selected applications deal with recent scientific investigations at universities and research institutes as well as applied studies at industrial companies.