The use of ring-porous East Asian ash (Fraxinus japonica (Thunb.) Steud.) and oak (Quercus spp.) cross-sections as eco-friendly resonance-absorbing materials for building

ABSTRACT

We examined the suitability of East Asian ash (Fraxinus japonica (Thunb.) Steud.) and oak (Quercus spp.) cross-sections as potential eco-friendly sound-absorbing materials for building. We examined the macroscopic anatomical structure of the woods and determined their gas permeability, pore size, and porosity. We also measured the sound absorption coefficient of each material using an impedance tube. In the absence of an air back cavity, both species failed to meet the sound absorption standards required by ISO 11654. However, in the presence of an air back cavity, resonance absorption peaked at a low frequency, corresponding to ISO 11654 class D performance. In sum, these ring-porous woods can be useful as eco-friendly, resonance-sound-absorbing materials.

KEYWORDS:

• Ring-porous wood
• East Asian ash
• oak
• sound absorption coefficient
• eco-friendly sound-absorbing material

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Ki-Pyeong Lee, President of Saehan Timber Co., Ltd., for producing and providing the samples used in this study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) [grant number NRF 2019R1I1A3A02059471 and NRF-2020K2A9A2A08000181]. Authors are also thankful to the “The Business Startup Incubator Support Program” supported by the Ministry of Education.