Keywords: acoustic, radiation, scattering, finite elements, Helmholtz equation, unbounded.

Infinite elements are presented here as an adjunct to conventional finite element models for acoustic propagation on bounded domains. This chapter will demonstrate how infinite elements can be used to extend such models to the far field by using discrete trial solutions which model correctly the asymptotic characteristics of the acoustic solution at large distances from the source. Infinite element formulations fall naturally into two distinct families which will be termed 'conjugated' and 'unconjugated' formulations. Within each family a further natural subdivision will be made into separable and mapped elements. Infinite element methods are outlined here in application to the exterior Helmholtz problem for acoustic propagation in a quiescent homogeneous medium. An extension of the infinite element concept to the time domain is also outlined.

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