Modal analysis and transient response of a sonic crystal room.

Abstract

New acoustic metamaterials offer promising applications, ranging from noise barriers to acoustical diodes. This work applies large-sized sonic crystals to room acoustics. A model of a rectangular room where the walls were replaced by 2-D sonic crystals is proposed. In this way, the room is conceived as a rectangular cavity inside the crystal, and we expect highly nontrivial acoustical properties for such a space. The main interest is focused on creating a new venue for contemporary music performance and site-specific sound art. Both practices could take advantage of the expected unusual acoustical features of this space (sonic crystal room). In order to characterize the room, a finite element model (FEM) modal analysis is performed and spatial impulse responses of the system are modeled using transient acoustic FEM. Several parameters of room quality evaluation are computed from the impulse responses.