Auditory Representation of Transient Hydraulic Phenomena: A Novel Approach to Sonification of Pressure Waves in Hydraulic Systems

This study explores the novel integration of data sonification into hydraulic engineering by translating transient pressure fluctuations in a hydraulic system into sound. Using a simple hydraulic model built in KYPipe, a pump connected to a reservoir and a tank was simulated to trip, causing transient pressure changes. These pressure variations were mapped onto the C-major scale using Microsoft Excel, creating an auditory representation. The methodology included generating a sound library using recorded piano samples and applying VBA code to link pressure values with musical notes. The results demonstrated that sonification provides an innovative means of presenting transient hydraulic phenomena, enabling users to identify critical events such as pressure spikes audibly. While the study highlights challenges, such as computational limitations and resolution trade-offs in mapping, it opens pathways for employing auditory data representation in engineering contexts. Future work could focus on expanding audio sample libraries and optimizing computational methods to improve resolution and usability.