Development of framed poplar plywood for acoustic improvement
Acoustic is a fundamental topic in large environments often characterized by poor sound quality such as dining rooms or open space offices. The paper reports the development and testing of sound absorbing poplar plywood for the acoustic improvement of such spaces; prototypes were designed aiming at acoustic performance and lightness, as an alternative to other acoustic woodbased panels currently on the market. The experimentation ranged from the testing of small specimens to the validation of prototypes in end-use dimensions. Developed panels achieved high sound absorption peaks in the low frequency range (sound absorption coefficient α = 0.80 at frequency of 315 Hz). Prototypes installed on the walls of a dining room reduced significantly its reverberation time (RT60); room users, investigated by a questionnaire, perceived a high acoustic improvement. On the whole the designed products resulted effective sound absorbers; their industrialization can represent a valuable niche for poplar plywood producers.