Assessment of the Measurement and Prediction Methods for the Acoustic Properties of Natural Fiber Samples and Evaluation of Their Properties

Abstract

Although some studies have been conducted to show how natural fibers can replace synthetic materials, the use of many natural fibers is still limited. On the other hand, the use of natural fibers can become very common in many applications once their performance is fully understood. This paper aims to present a critical assessment of the acoustic properties of natural fiber samples. First, the methods commonly used for the measurement and prediction of the acoustic properties of natural fiber samples are determined. Second, the common techniques for measuring sound absorption coefficients (SACs) and sound transmission losses (STLs) are presented, and their advantages and limitations are evaluated. After that, the models commonly used for the prediction of acoustic properties are presented. Then, the SACs of many natural fiber samples are presented along with the thickness, bulk density and flow resistivity of the samples. Furthermore, the SACs of the samples are normalized using sample thickness and bulk density, and the sound absorption performance of the fiber samples is evaluated. Based on the results of many natural fiber samples, an empirical model for estimating the SACs of natural fiber samples is presented. Finally, the STLs of some porous natural fiber samples are presented.