Calculation of statistical absorption coefficient using ensemble averaged surface normal impedance of material

Abstract

To predict and control the indoor sound field, it is important to comprehend sound absorption characteristics of building materials. In the previous studies, the authors have proposed an in-situ sound absorption measurement method of materials using ensemble averaging technique, namely EA method. The method yields a simple and efficient in-situ measurement of surface normal impedance of materials at random-incidence. In this paper, the authors calculate the statistical absorption coefficient using the surface normal impedance of material by the EA method to obtain random incidence absorption coefficient. At first, the procedure of calculating the statistical absorption coefficient from the normal impedance by EA method is described. Next, the sound absorption characteristics for five kinds of materials are measured by the EA method and the reverberation room method. Finally, the statistical absorption coefficients are calculated from results obtained by the EA method and are compared with absorption coefficients by the reverberation room method.