The determination of acoustic reflection coefficients by using cepstral techniques, I: Experimental procedures and measurements of polyurethane foam

Abstract

The authors have previously outlined a transient free field technique, based on cepstral analysis, for the measurement of acoustic reflection coefficients. In this paper are described laboratory acoustical measurements of the normal incidence reflection coefficient of an absorbent material: emphasis is placed on practical aspects of the technique. Specifically, the origin of extraction noise, which distorts the reflector impulse response as it appears in the power cepstrum, is discussed and means of reducing it are described and implemented. Secondly, a means of identifying and removing the time delay introduced when the reflector impulse response is copied from the cepstrum is described; this procedure eliminates the need for highly accurate measurements of path length difference. The absorbent material tested was a commercial partially reticulated polyurethane foam. Bonded to one side of the foam was an impermeable polyurethane membrane, and the foam was measured in two configurations: first with its film covered face uppermost, then with its uncovered face uppermost. The broad frequency range of the measurements made possible by the cepstral technique has given a good picture of the properties of this material. These results will be considered in detail in a subsequent publication.