Sound Absorption Measurements Research Articles

Application of Hybrid Absorptive-Diffusive Panels with Variable Acoustic Characteristics Based on Wooden Overlays Designed Using Third-Degree-of-Freedom Bezier Curves.

This manuscript describes the application of novel hybrid acoustic panels with variable acoustic properties that could be used in the design process. Despite the significant growth in the modern acoustic absorbing and diffusing panel sector in recent years, there is still a need for sustainable and original designs that will fit standard interior design trends. The most significant requirement is satisfying the design needs of variable acoustic venues. The availability of acoustic panels with variable properties is minimal, as most designs are based on textiles in the form of rolling banners; therefore, there is no market diversity. The current paper presents an original solution for a novel perforated wooden panel based on third-degree-of-freedom curves. Due to the possibility of exchanging the front panel, the acoustic surface can be varied and adjusted to the room considering different requirements for the acoustic climate, for example, by modifying the attenuation range from low to mid-high frequencies. The novel panels have unique esthetic properties with functional acoustic features regarding sound diffusion and absorption. In this paper, sound absorption and diffusion measurements will be presented for the different variants of the panels, presenting the option to modify the parameters to adjust the panel's features to the room's needs. In situ acoustic measurements in a laboratory were conducted to test the variable acoustic panels' influence on the room's acoustic parameters, such as T30 and C80. In summary, the advantages of this kind of design will be discussed, alongside the possible impact on modern construction materials' utilization in architecture.

The frame around a test specimen and its influence on the measured sound absorption coefficient

For most practical cases of reverberation room measurements of sound absorption coefficient according to ISO 354:2003, the standard requires the edges of the test specimen to be covered by a reflective frame. The purpose of this requirement is to keep the edges of the test specimen from absorbing sound. While this statement is consistent with practical measurement results at medium to high frequencies, it has been shown that the low frequency performance of a high-absorbing test specimen worsens when a frame is not in place. To further investigate this phenomenon, a series of reverberation room measurements have been carried out on several variations of a porous absorber test specimen. The goal of the measurements has been to determine whether the size and dimensions of the test specimen affect the test results, and if any such affections are dependent on the presence of a frame. Additionally, the sound absorption area of the frame itself has been measured to elucidate whether the frame is likely to give a significant contribution to the total sound absorption area of a framed test specimen. The results will be presented and discussed in this paper.

Experimental investigation of the sound absorption characteristics of unconsolidated granular materials

In the context of a wider research project investigating the use of Granular Material (GM) within floor and wall structures to increase their sound insulation, this study presents the sound absorption coefficient (SAC) measurements of different thicknesses for a range of GM. A primary aim has been to extend the understanding of the behaviour of GM layers in absorbing the propagated incident sound wave. Equally important has been an assessment of what GM could be sourced from waste and be acceptable for use in buildings from the point of view of fire insulation, handleability, economy, etc. Samples of GM were placed in an 88mm diameter vertical impedance tube and SACs measured up to 2kHz. The results show the effect GM's different structure (size and shape), bulk volume, and mechanical characteristics have on the range and value of the SAC. These determine the extent to which GM could be a replacement for traditional sound absorption materials.

Investigation of sound field diffuseness in an irregularly-shaped room based on FMBEM incidence directivity analysis

Several methods to evaluate sound field diffuseness have been proposed in terms of the isotropy of traveling sound waves. In a previous paper, we investigated the characteristics of two kinds of diffusion indices in a rectangular room, based on the incidence directivity analysis employing the FMBEM. The present study applies the incidence directivity analysis to an irregularly-shaped reverberation room for measurement of sound absorption, and investigates the effects of room shapes and absorbing surfaces on the diffusion indices. The numerical results show that the indices tend to be higher in an irregularly-shaped room than in a rectangular room, and those decline remarkably with increasing the absorption coefficient of the walls. Moreover, the tendencies are more clearly seen in the diffusion indices for the 1/3-octave bands than for single frequencies.

Interlaboratory comparison of ISO 354 sound absorption coefficient measurements for four sound absorbing materials

Sound absorption coefficients are among the most important acoustic parameters of building materials. The coefficients are measured in reverberation chambers using the ISO354 measurement procedure. The complex reverberant sound field that builds up in such facilities is closely related to the concept of the diffuse sound field and is difficult to characterize experimentally. Due to the limited quantitative assessment of the sound field, there is no general agreement in the scientific community on how to improve the method of measuring sound absorption coefficients, although significant differences have been reported between the results of different laboratories. To address part of this challenge, we investigate how specific the variations between laboratory results are for a particular material. In our investigation, we evaluated four different sound absorbing materials in five independent acoustics laboratories. Four of the reverberation chambers used suspended diffusers, while the complex shape of one chamber was designed to achieve a diffuse sound field. The results show that the interlaboratory deviations are not very specific to the material tested, while general differences between the facilities can be observed. Furthermore, the meticulous geometric design of the chambers can be seen as an alternative to the use of suspended diffusers.

Analysis of in-situ acoustical performance of a removable urban pavement with a porous top layer

A demonstrator of a new removable urban pavement with functionalized surface was implemented in the inner city of Nantes within the I-STREET CUD-SF project. Designed for easy maintenance operation, it is made of hexagonal cement concrete slabs with a dense body and a 4 cm thick porous top layer of grading 0/6 and porosity 25% for drainability. The noise performance of the pavement was assessed at urban speeds by simultaneous Coast-By and Close-Proximity noise measurements performed with a dedicated test vehicle after closure of the road to traffic. The results are compared with noise levels obtained with three reference surfaces, a DAC 0/10 and two VTAC of grading 0/4 and 0/6. The tested pavement gets ranked differently depending on the noise measurement method considered. The results are analyzed in the light of 3D texture measurements as well as sound absorption measurements performed in situ by the extended surface method and with Kundt's tube on core samples. The influence of texture irregularities at the junction between slabs and sand used for slabs stabilization is addressed. Finally, the Coast-By noise levels are compared with those obtained with the HyRoNE prediction model from 3D texture and sound absorption. The discrepancies observed are discussed.

Development of acoustic impedance tube system using 3D printing and finite element analysis

This study aims to demonstrate and provide a practical guide on correctly designing, fabricating, and verifying the acoustic impedance tube system. Many parts required to build this tube system were uniquely designed and 3D printed, such as the driver case, specimen holder, microphone holder, etc. In addition, this acoustic tube is designed to meet three functions: standard sound absorption measurement, in-situ measurement, and microphone mismatch measurement. Various types of specimens are tested to verify the accuracy of the measurement and how it compares to the poroelastic theoretical models and FEM models. To estimate the poroelastic parameters, measurement and FEM models were used to run the optimization process. The validation study shows good agreement in all three cases: measurement, the poroelastic model, and the FEM model.

Acoustics response of granular porous material: experiment and modeling

Granular porous materials such as activated carbon have drawn increasing attention due to their good sound absorption performance at low frequency. However, some unique acoustical behaviors have been observed during sound absorption measurements of granular porous materials in impedance tubes: e.g., circumferential edge-constraint effects, level-dependent absorption behavior, and time-dependent absorption behavior. In order to explain these observations, a 1-dimensional poro-elastic model was first applied to describe the sound propagation in granules stacked in a cylindrical sample holder, as in a standing wave tube. Then this model was extended to a 2-dimensional finite difference (2DFD) model with depth-dependent stiffness of the granule stack considered by combining Janssen's model and Hertzian contact theory. The 2DFD model was validated with the measurements of the granular porous materials, and it was found that the 2DFD model is a powerful tool to analyze the acoustic response of granular porous material, thus providing a means of characterizing the granular materials. In the present work, the above-mentioned experimental observations and the 2DFD model are introduced, and the experiment results are analyzed with the 2DFD model. Finally some future work on granular porous materials is introduced.

Reverberation room design optimisation for low-frequency diffuse sound absorption testing

The reproducibility of sound absorption testing with the reverberation room method is a long-standing concern. Absorptive samples induce directionality in the nearfield, while the farfield depends on the room geometry below the Schroeder frequency. Nevertheless, when properly accounting for nearfield effects, the theoretical diffuse absorption coefficient of a sample still represents its average performance across an ensemble of different rooms, even at very low frequencies. Recent research found that particular reverberation room designs allow for an accurate measurement of the diffuse sound absorption coefficient of highly absorptive samples at low frequencies. Pinpointing such designs hence opens up a possibility to sustainably improve the low-frequency reproducibility of sound absorption testing in reverberation rooms. The present paper introduces a numerical optimisation framework that serves this purpose. Specific room shapes are parametrised and the geometrical room parameters are optimised so as to minimise the difference between the measured and the diffuse absorption coefficient under appropriate constraints. The sound absorption testing of a sample in a particular reverberation room is numerically simulated using a method that is both accurate and computationally efficient at low frequencies. The diffuse absorption is computed with a hybrid deterministic-statistical energy analysis approach that accounts for the detailed absorber properties, geometry, and boundary conditions, as well as the nearfield effects. The methodology is applied to both cuboidal and hexahedral room shapes. Certain optimised designs are found not only to provide an excellent match for the absorber that was used during the optimisation, but they also maintain their performance across a range of absorptive samples. Additionally, potential geometrical deviations are found to be well tolerated by these reverberation room designs.

Study of Acoustic Prototypes Based on Plastic Cap Waste

This paper presents the initial prototypes of solutions designed using plastic caps, seeking acoustic applications for both airborne sound insulation and the acoustic conditioning of rooms. Plastic caps are a waste product from the packaging sector and they constitute a major waste problem, given that, if they are not attached to the packaging, they get lost during the recycling cycle and end up in landfill. Finding an application for this waste that can provide acoustic improvements is a sustainable alternative. This paper shows the results of airborne sound insulation measurements obtained in a scaled transmission chamber and sound absorption measurements obtained in a scaled reverberation chamber for different combinations of single and double plastic caps and combinations with thin sheets of sustainable materials, such as jute weaving, textile waste, hemp felt and cork board. Tests have shown that obtaining sound reduction index values of up to 20 dB is possible with plastic cap configurations, or even up to 30 dB is possible at some frequencies with combinations of caps and certain eco-materials. With regard to the sound absorption coefficient tests, close to unity absorption values have been achieved with the appropriate configuration at frequencies that can also be selected. The results indicate that these panels can be eco-solutions for airborne sound insulation as lightweight elements, or they can be used for the conditioning of rooms, tailoring the sound absorption maximums to the desired frequencies.

Sound absorption coefficient measurement and analysis for multisection perforation microperforated panel

Sound absorption coefficient measurement and analysis for multisection perforation microperforated panel

Preparation of PPA based composite reinforcing with glass beads and clays: Investigation of sound absorbing

The research investigates the sound absorption properties of potassium polyacrylate (PPA) composites, particularly those augmented with clay and porous hollow glass beads within a hydrogel template. This unique material combination shows promise for efficient sound absorption, relevant in industries requiring effective noise control like acoustic engineering and construction. Experimental assessment focused on measuring the sound absorption coefficient, crucial for quantifying a material’s ability to absorb sound energy across various frequencies. Incorporating clay and porous hollow glass beads introduces complexities, emphasizing the need for precise acoustic performance prediction. Collected data from sound absorption coefficient measurements formed the basis for training an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model. Leveraging the ANN’s pattern recognition capabilities, the model learned from diverse composite compositions, enabling accurate prediction of sound absorption coefficients for varying material compositions. This predictive model streamlines material design, offering a systematic approach to tailor composite acoustic characteristics. Integration of machine learning, particularly ANNs, enhances accuracy and expedites material design and optimization, contributing to innovative and customizable sound-absorbing materials for diverse industrial applications.

Diffusion equation modeling in room-acoustic applications

The diffusion equation application in room acoustic simulations can be traced back to 1969. However, much attention from room-acoustic community to the diffusion equation was given in the late 1990s and the early 2000s. In the literature, the acoustic diffusion equation may be considered as an approximation of the acoustic transport equation. The diffusion equation modeling has been considered suitable for applications in enclosed spaces with proportionate dimensions. The most intriguing features of the diffusion equation are its computational efficiency due to a sparse meshing condition and its capability of energy flux solutions due to Fick’s law. Since the late 2000s, the diffusion equation modeling has evolved with boundary conditions formulated by the rigorous physical–mathematical theory [Jing and Xiang, JASA 123, 145–153 (2008]] and its validity has also been systematically investigated [Xiang et al., JASA 133, 3975–3985 (2013)]. This paper reviews the vibrant development in the room-acoustics during this era and discusses wide range of applications from coupled-volume systems, historically significant worship spaces to recent investigations on sound absorption measurements in reverberation chambers. This paper also discusses its link to the acoustic transport equation and compares the modeling results of both. Different numerical approaches to solving the diffusion equations will also be reviewed.

Acoustic metamaterial samples preparation for impedance tube measurements—The influence of different 3D printing techniques and mechanical post-processing on the simulation compliance

Prototyping of acoustic metamaterials frequently involves the use of additive manufacturing techniques. It offers the best price and the option for complex structure production, which is beneficial in the R&D process. Previously, some differences in acoustic metamaterial sound absorption measurement dispersions regarding using 3D printing techniques for sample preparation were noted. The sound absorption sensitivity on different printing settings or materials is usually omitted. The paper will present the research on the impedance tube measurements of absorbing metamaterial manufactured with different 3D printing methods and post-processed with mechanical and chemical treatment. Two approaches to metamaterial construction were analyzed in the current study—the single-solid metamaterial and the structure divided into parts, where the influence of assembly methods was investigated. To achieve the best compatibility with FEM or TMM modeling results, different post-processing techniques were involved, such as drilling, grinding, and sealant use. The presentation will describe the valuable paths used in sample preparation to achieve better compatibility between the measurements and simulations. The need for a comprehensive part preparation description in metamaterials research and papers will be discussed. [Work funded and supported by the Polish Government, National Centre of Research and Development, agreement no. LIDER/11/0065/L-12/20/NCBR/2021.]

Recent sound absorption testing for baffles and blades

It’s easy for laboratories to make sound absorption measurement for baffles and blades treatment options. The difficult part is to make measurements and report results in a method that can be useable across a wide variety of users. As example, the architectural acoustic community, the specifying community, and marketing teams, all need to communicate effectively to a diverse clientele each with different needs and understanding. This paper will explore the methodology of one company’s latest investment to provide applicable baffles and blades data.

Measurements of sound absorption coefficients of raked audience seating in a rectangular scale model room

Despite its significance, the sound absorption property of seating has not been fully understood compared to the other surfaces in an auditorium. In particular, the lack of information for sound absorption by seating with changes in section may lead to a failure in accurate prediction of room acoustics. This research investigates the effect of floor rake angle change on the sound absorption property of seating through a series of measurements performed in a rectangular scale model room. Both the sound absorption coefficients (αA) of unoccupied and occupied seating are measured using combinations of three different types of scale model chairs and two different types of scale model auditors while the floor rake angle is systematically varied. The results suggest that the αA’s for both unoccupied and occupied seating significantly increase as the floor rake angle becomes larger. However, the relationship between the floor rake angles and the corresponding αA’s is not monotonous. The effect of changing floor rake is highly associated with the upholstering of chairs for unoccupied seating, whereas it critically depends on the sound absorption property of auditors rather than the upholstering for occupied seating.

Investigating the sound absorption performance of circular and slotted perforated birch (Betula platyphylla) plywood as interior building materials

The use of perforated plywood as an interior architectural sound-absorbing material has been increasing in popularity in Korea. This study investigated the sound absorption performance of marketed birch (Betula platyphylla) plywood with circular and slotted perforations using the sound absorption measurement method (KS F 2805) in a reverberation chamber with a 300 mm backspace. The results showed that unperforated birch plywood absorbed little sound. However, birch plywood with perforation levels of 1.77%, 5.77%, and 7.76% showed significant sound absorption. The noise reduction coefficient (NRC) of perforated birch plywood was 0.4 to 0.6. The results were 0.3 S to 0.5 S sound absorption grade by KS F 3503. The optimal perforation level was 5.77%. These findings can aid in expanding the wood sound absorption market.

Mycelium-Based Composites as a Sustainable Solution for Waste Management and Circular Economy.

The global population is expected to increase by nearly 2 billion individuals over the next three decades, leading to a significant surge in waste generation and environmental challenges. To mitigate these challenges, there is a need to develop sustainable solutions that can effectively manage waste generation and promote a circular economy. Mycelium-based composites (MBCs) are being developed for various applications, including packaging, architectural designs, sound absorption, and insulation. MBCs are made by combining fungal mycelium with organic substrates, using the mycelium as a natural adhesive. Mycelium, the vegetative part of fungi, can be grown on various organic feedstocks and functionalized into a range of diverse material types that are biobased and thus more sustainable in their production, use, and recycling. This work aims to obtain mycelium-based composites with acoustic absorption properties, using coffee grounds and agricultural waste as raw materials. The topic approached presents a new method of recovering spent coffee grounds that does not involve high production costs and reduces two current environmental problems: noise pollution and abundant waste. Measurements of the normal-incidence sound absorption coefficient were presented and analyzed. Mycelium-based composites offer an innovative, sustainable approach to developing bio-composite sound-absorbing surfaces for interior fittings. The material by Ganoderma lucidum exhibits exceptional sound-absorbing properties at frequencies below 700 Hz, which is a crucial aspect of creating sound-absorbing materials that effectively absorb low-frequency sound waves. The modular construction system allows for a high degree of flexibility to adapt to short-term changes in the workplace.

Extremely tortuous sound absorbers with labyrinthine channels in non-porous and microporous solid skeletons

An assembly of additively-manufactured modules to form two-dimensional networks of labyrinthine slits results in a sound absorber with extremely high tortuosity and thereby a relatively low-frequency quarter wavelength resonance. Fully analytical modelling is developed for the generic design of such composite acoustic panels, allowing rapid exploration of various specific designs. In addition to labyrinthine channels in a non-porous solid skeleton, a case is also considered where the skeleton has microporosity such that its permeability is very much lower than that due to the labyrinthine channels alone. The analytical modelling is verified by numerical calculations as well as sound absorption measurements performed on several 3D printed samples of modular composite panels. The experimental validation required overcoming the non-trivial difficulties related to additive manufacturing and testing samples of extreme tortuosity. However, due to the two-dimensionality and modularity of the proposed design, such absorbers can possibly be produced without 3D printing by assembling simple, identical modules produced separately. The experimental results fully confirmed the theoretical predictions that significant sound absorption, almost perfect at the peak, can be achieved at relatively low frequencies using very thin panels, especially those with double porosity.

Diffusion equation-based modelling of reverberation chambers for sound absorption measurements

Recent research in reverberation chambers has revealed unacceptably large variations resulting from round-robin tests of the standardized measurements of random-incidence absorption coefficients. These variations have prompted active research activities in architectural acoustics. This study applies a diffusion equation model (DEM) in acoustics of reverberation chambers for random incidence absorption measurements by predicting both reverberant sound energies and energy flows. The DEM is of high computational efficiency when compared with other existing geometrical acoustics and wave-based methods. The DEM modeling of the sound energy flows in a reverberation room further reveals violations of the diffuse field assumption near the boundary area of absorbing sample under test. Due to its computational efficiency and higher order of the reverberant energy prediction of the statistical room-acoustic modeling, this work investigates an estimation approach to the absorption coefficients of the sample under test. The proposed approach estimates the absorption coefficients by pursuing both the DEM simulations and the chamber-based measurements. This paper investigates sound energy flux over varied absorbing degrees of absorber samples in standardized sizes, computational efficiency of the DEM for reverberant energy decays in reverberation chambers, and potential significance applied to random-incident absorption coefficient measurements.