This test method can be applied to measure sound absorption coefficients of absorptive materials at normal incidence, that is, 0°. It also can be used to determine specific impedance and admittance ratios. The properties measured with this test method are useful in basic research and product development of sound absorptive materials.

Normal incidence sound absorption coefficients can be quite useful in certain situations where the material is placed within a small acoustical cavity close to a sound source, for example a closely-fitted machine enclosure.

This test method allows one to compare relative values of sound absorption when it is impractical to procure large samples for accurate random-incidence measurements in a reverberation room. Estimates of the random incidence absorption coefficients can be obtained from normal impedance data for locally-reacting materials (2).⁴

Measurements described in this test method can be made with high precision, but these measurements may be misleading. Uncertainties of greater magnitude than those from the measurements may occur from other sources. Care should be exercised to sample nonuniform materials adequately (see 11.1).