Thomas Dupont

Acoustic properties of air-saturated porous materials containing dead-end porosity

This study examines the acoustic properties of materials with complex micro-geometry containing partially open or dead-end (DE) porosity. One of these kinds of materials can be obtained from dissolving salt grains embedded in a solid metal matrix with the help of water. The solid matrix is obtained after the metal, in liquid form, has invaded the granular material formed by the salt particles at negative pressure and high temperature, and after cooling and solidification of the metal. Comparisons between theoretical and experimental results show that the classical Johnson-Champoux-Allard model does not quite accurately predict the acoustic behavior. These results suggest that the assumptions of the Biot theory may not all be fulfilled and that cavity resonators and dead ends can be present in the material. The first part of the study proposes a simple model to account for this geometry. Based upon this model, two acoustic transfer matrices are developed: one for non-symmetric and one for symmetric dead-en...

Transfer matrix method applied to the parallel assembly of sound absorbing materials

The transfer matrix method (TMM) is used conventionally to predict the acoustic properties of laterally infinite homogeneous layers assembled in series to form a multilayer. In this work, a parallel assembly process of transfer matrices is used to model heterogeneous materials such as patchworks, acoustic mosaics, or a collection of acoustic elements in parallel. In this method, it is assumed that each parallel element can be modeled by a 2 × 2 transfer matrix, and no diffusion exists between elements. The resulting transfer matrix of the parallel assembly is also a 2 × 2 matrix that can be assembled in series with the classical TMM. The method is validated by comparison with finite element (FE) simulations and acoustical tube measurements on different parallel/series configurations at normal and oblique incidence. The comparisons are in terms of sound absorption coefficient and transmission loss on experimental and simulated data and published data, notably published data on a parallel array of resonators. From these comparisons, the limitations of the method are discussed. Finally, applications to three-dimensional geometries are studied, where the geometries are discretized as in a FE concept. Compared to FE simulations, the extended TMM yields similar results with a trivial computation time.

On the variations of acoustic absorption peak with particle velocity in micro-perforated panels at high level of excitation

The acoustic behavior of micro-perforated panels (MPP) is studied theoretically and experimentally at high level of pressure excitation. A model based on Forchheimers regime of flow velocity in the perforations is proposed. This model is valid at relatively high Reynolds numbers and low Mach numbers. The experimental method consists in measuring the acoustical pressure at three different positions in an impedance tube, the two measurement positions usually considered in an impedance tube and one measurement in the vicinity of the rear surface of the MPP. The impedance tube is equipped with a pressure driver instead of the usual loudspeaker and capable of delivering a high sound pressure level up to 160 dB. MPP specimens made out of steel, dural and polypropylene were tested. Measurements using random noise or sinusoidal excitation in a frequency range between 200 and 1600 Hz were carried out on MPPs backed by air cavities. It was observed that the maximum of absorption can be a positive or a negative function of the flow velocity in the perforations. This suggests the existence of a maximum of absorption as a function of flow velocity. This behavior was predicted by the model and confirmed experimentally.

Comparison between parallel transfer matrix method and admittance sum method

A transfer matrix method to predict absorption coefficient and transmission loss of parallel assemblies of materials which can be expressed by a 2 × 2 transfer matrix was published recently. However, the usual method based on the sum of admittances is largely used to predict also surface admittance of parallel assemblies. This paper aims to highlight differences between both methods through three examples on a parallel assembly backed by (1) a rigid wall, (2) an air cavity, and (3) an anechoic termination.

Acoustic methods for measuring the porosities of porous materials incorporating dead-end pores

The acoustic properties of porous materials containing dead-end (DE) pores have been proposed by Dupont et al. [J. Appl. Phys. 110, 094903 (2011)]. In the theoretical description, two physical parameters were defined (the dead-end porosity and the average length of the dead-end pores). With the knowledge of the open porosity (measured with non-acoustic methods), and the measurement of kinematic porosity (also called the Biot porosity in this article), it is possible to deduce the dead-end porosity. Two acoustic methods for measuring the Biot porosity for a wide range of porosities are proposed. These methods are based on acoustic transmission and on the low and high frequency behaviors of acoustic indicators. The low frequency method is valid for high porosities. It involves measurements in a transmission tube and the knowledge of the theoretical asymptotic behavior of the phase velocity at high frequencies. The high frequency method is based on ultrasonic measurements and on the high frequency asymptotic behavior of the transmission coefficient. It is well adapted for material with relatively low values of porosity. Good precision was found for both methods and materials containing dead end porosity were tested.

Prediction of acoustic properties of parallel assemblies by means of transfer matrix method

The Transfer Matrix Method (TMM) is used conventionally to predict the acoustic properties of laterally infinite homogeneous layers assembled in series to form a multilayer. In this work, a parallel assembly process of transfer matrices is used to model heterogeneous materials such as patchworks, acoustic mosaics, or a collection of acoustic elements in parallel. In this method, it is assumed that each parallel element can be modeled by a 2x2 transfer matrix, and no diffusion exists between elements. The method is validated by comparison with finite element method (FEM). Then, an overview of the possibilities, such as the combination of series and parallel matrices, the sound absorption coefficient and the transmission loss of a parallel array of resonators or three-dimensional geometries is presented and discussed.

A mixture approach to the acoustic properties of a macroscopically inhomogeneous porous aluminum in the equivalent fluid approximationa)

The acoustic properties of an air-saturated macroscopically inhomogeneous aluminum foam in the equivalent fluid approximation are studied. A reference sample built by forcing a highly compressible melamine foam with conical shape inside a constant diameter rigid tube is studied first. In this process, a radial compression varying with depth is applied. With the help of an assumption on the compressed pore geometry, properties of the reference sample can be modelled everywhere in the thickness and it is possible to use the classical transfer matrix method as theoretical reference. In the mixture approach, the material is viewed as a mixture of two known materials placed in a patchwork configuration and with proportions of each varying with depth. The properties are derived from the use of a mixing law. For the reference sample, the classical transfer matrix method is used to validate the experimental results. These results are used to validate the mixture approach. The mixture approach is then used to characterize a porous aluminium for which only the properties of the external faces are known. A porosity profile is needed and is obtained from the simulated annealing optimization process.

A method for measuring the acoustic properties of a porous sample mounted in a rigid ring in acoustic tubes

This study presents a method to measure the acoustic properties of a homogeneous porous material with a support or a reduction element in an acoustic tube. Some materials tested have a lateral size much smaller than the tubes diameter, as they cannot be produced in the correct dimensions without corrupting the material; this also permits the testing of the same samples in a large frequency bandwidth by using different section tubes. Moreover, the acoustic leaks on the material boundaries can significantly change the transmission loss measured in tubes. To rectify these problems, rings can be placed on each material surface. The presence of these rings can influence the acoustic indicator measurement; while this effect is negligible for tubes with a large cross section, it is not for tubes with a small cross section. To correct, or remove, the influence of the rings, we propose to use an application of the parallel assembly process of the transfer matrix method which has recently been proposed by Panneton et al. [Proceeding Internoise New York (2012)]. Measurements on classical porous materials with and without reductions are proposed and compared to simulated results. The rings effects and the proposed corrections are discussed for different materials.

Acoustics of porous materials with partially opened porosity

A theoretical and experimental study of the acoustic properties of porous materials containing dead-end (or partially opened) porosity was recently proposed by Dupont, Leclaire, Sicot, Gong, and Panneton [J. Appl. Phys. 110, 094903 (2011)]. The present article provides a description of partially opened porosity systems and their numerous potential applications in the general context of the study of porous materials, the classical models describing them, and the characterization techniques. It is shown that the dead-end pore effect can be treated independently and that the description of this effect can be associated with any acoustic model of porous media. Different theoretical developments describing the dead-end porosity effect are proposed. In particular, a model involving the average effective length of the dead-end pores is presented. It is also shown that if the dead-end effect can be treated separately, the transfer matrix method is particularly well suited for the description of single or multilayer systems with dead-end porosity.

Periodic resonance effect for the design of low frequency acoustic absorbers

This presentation examines a perforated resonant material, in which the principal perforations comprise a network of periodically spaced dead-end pores. This material can show good sound absorption at low frequencies, particularly given its relatively small thickness. In a recent study, this kind of material was modeled by an effective fluid approach which allowed low frequency approximations. At low frequency, it was shown that the periodic array of dead-end pores increases the effective compressibility without modifying the effective dynamic density. Thereby, the resonance frequency of the material is reduced in a significant way, as is the frequency of the first sound absorption peak. Moreover, a bandgap effect occurs at high frequency for the sound transmission problem. This study suggested a new concept of micro-structure for designing low-frequency resonant acoustic absorbers. A transfer matrix approach is now proposed to model and optimize such a concept. Prototypes have been made with 3D printing ...