In the decade before 1962, a major research effort in noise and vibration had been built up in the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics of the University of Southampton, under the direction of Professor E. J. Richards. It had become apparent that noise and vibration was of developing importance in many other branches of engineering in addition to aeronautics. Also it was evident that the techniques and knowledge gained in aeronautical acoustics had potentially wider applications.
Accordingly the University established in 1962 a Noise and Vibration Research Unit Advisory Committee to guide development of the noise and vibration work. By October 1962 the Committee had come to the conclusion that the work would best be furthered by establishing an Institute of Sound and Vibration Research as a department of the Faculty of Engineering. It was recognized that financial support from outside the University would be necessary to provide acoustic facilities and research support to extend the noise and vibration work into non-aeronautical fields.
In 1963 the Science Research Council awarded a major grant to support a comprehensive research programme on noise and vibration and also to provide acoustic chambers and special facilities for research into internal combustion engine noise and the effect of noise on people. The acoustic facilities were completed in March 1968, and have been given the name "Rayleigh Building". This S.R.C. grant provided the major financial support to initiate the Institute and provide a basis for potentially rapid growth. The growth of the Institute's research activities as well as its physical growth occurred at an average rate of 35 per cent per annum over the period ofthe grant. The effectiveness of the grant in enabling the Institute to enter non-aeronautical fields is especially well illustrated by the establishment and growth of two of the present major research areas in the I.S.V.R.: namely Audiology and Automotive Noise and Vibration.
In addition to the acoustic rooms a Data Analysis Centre based on an on-line digital computer was provided by another major grant from the Science Research Council. The computer can be connected directly to the laboratory experiment or accept magnetic tape recordings taken, for example, in a flight or road test, or a factory environment. This is the fastest system for random data analysis in operation in Europe. In addition to its use in the Institute's research programmes, the computer is also available for use by Industry and Research Establishments.
These two sets of facilities, for acoustic and vibration measurements, and for data analysis, made the I.S.V.R. probably the best equipped acoustic research establishment in the world. Additional office and laboratory space became available a short time later when the Tizard Building extension was completed. This provided extra special purpose facilities for the 307