Sound transmission between absorbing parallel planes

Partially absorbing parallel surfaces can be dominant acoustical feature of many rooms. The sound fields in such rooms are not diffuse, which causes difficulty in predicting sound pressure levels. A method is developed for predicted sound pressure levels in these rooms. It rests on the prediction of sound pressure levels caused by a nondirectional source of known sound power radiating between absorbing parallel planes. The development proceeds from a geometrical acoustics viewpoint. Good correlation has been found between predicted and measured levels in existing rooms having simple geometries. [Work supported by NSF.]