• International Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.105-113
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• 2003

This study developed a practical two-microphone impedance tube method to measure the sound transmission loss of sound isolation materials without the use of an expensive reverberation room or an acoustic intensity probe. In order to evaluate the validation and applicability of the two-microphone impedance tube method, sound transmission losses for several sound isolation materials with different surface density and bending stiffness were measured, and the measured values were compared with the results from the reverberation room method and the theory. From the experimental results, it was found that the accuracy of sound transmission loss obtained by the impedance tube method depends upon the diameter size of the impedance tube (i.e., tested sample size). For sound isolation materials having relatively large bending stiffness such as acryl, wood, and aluminum plates, it was found that the impedance tube method proposed by this study was not valid to measure the sound transmission loss. On the other hand, for sound isolation materials having relatively small bending stiffness such as rubber, polyvinyl, and asphalt sheets, the comparisons of transmission loss between the results from the impedance tube method and the theory showed a good agreement within the range of the frequencies satisfying the normal incidence mass law. Therefore, the two-microphone impedance tube method proposed by this study can be an effective measurement method to evaluate the sound transmission loss for soft sound isolation sheets having relatively small bending stiffness.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.144-157
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• 2009

Nondestructive methods to check the vitality of trees and to find out internal decay of old-giant trees include the use of electrical resistance, ultrasound transmission time, microdrilling, and infrared thermography etc. Among these, ultrasound transmission offers some advantages compared to others such as it is an entirely nondestructive detection method and it can be applied to very big trees. However, the ultrasound equipment is comparatively expensive and not broadly spread yet. On the other hand, Shigometer is versatile to be applied to check vitality of the tree and find out internal decay. Electrical conductivity of plant tissues is a very useful characteristics to determine the vitality and internal decay of trees. Electrical resistance of cambial area tells about the vitality of a tree and electrical resistance of heartwood reveals discoloration or decay of it. For determination of the vitality of the tree, the standard equation for calibration of measured electrical resistances should be developed by measuring and analyzing electrical resistance from at least 30-40 trees of the same species with that tree. All the factors, especially tree species, diameter of the stem, and temperature, which can altered the electrical resistance of trees, should be taken into consideration in the development of the equation. If the standard equation is developed for old-giant trees that we should conserve, it will be very useful. In addition, periodical and continued measuring of a certain tree will help to determine the condition of the tree by comparing the measurement with accumulated data of the tree. Measuring electrical resistance of wood might not require the standard equation. But it also needs to check electrical resistance of sound wood of the same tree species. If the stems that should be examined is thicker than 40cm, it is better to use the ultrasound measurement combined to Shigometer.