Studies on the sound absorption and transmission loss performances of wood-based, natural and waste materials

Abstract

The sound absorption and sound transmission loss performances of the natural woods, hard and soft processed woods with attachment of the various natural or waste materials were investigated in the present study using impedance tube with American Society for Testing Material (ASTM) standards. The sound absorption performances of all natural and all hard processed woods were very poor. It was found that filter mat made by the coconut fibre was the best material for sound absorption improvement of the hard processed woods. The sound absorption performance of the soft processed wood (cork) was better than all natural and all hard processed woods. Among all tested woods, it was found that the cork with attached tea bag made by corn fibre is the best selection for sound absorption application. The transmission loss performances of all natural woods were good. The effects of various materials on the transmission loss performances of all hard processed woods were not very significant. For cork with and without attachment of various materials, their transmission loss performances were not as good as the hard processed woods. Among all tested woods, it was found that Pterocarpus soyauxii and Quercus spp. (natural woods) are the best woods to be used in those applications when prevention of sound transmission is needed. It is recommended that cork is the best wood to be used in those applications where sound absorption and prevention of sound transmission are needed at the same time due to its good sound absorption performance while its ability on prevention of the sound transmission is also acceptable.