Investigation the Performance of a Low-Cost Test Box Design Like to the Alpha Cabin for Sound Transmission Loss Tests

Today, noise control is of critical importance. In order to provide sound insulation, parameters such as Sound Transmission Loss (STL) and sound absorption coefficient are measured in environments such as impedance tubes, Alpha Cabin and echo chambers. However, the low number of accredited acoustic test rooms in Turkey and the high-test costs cause these tests to be performed in limited numbers. In this direction, test box similar to the Alpha Cabin designed aims to both reduce costs and perform tests in a healthy way using natural and recyclable materials, and to prevent damage to test devices caused by hard materials. In this study, samples with STL values above 30 dB at 500-8000 Hz. were selected and tested in the designed system. As a result, it was seen that the data were close to each other. The highest value was obtained as 49, 13 dB at 4000 Hz. in a 2 cm thick gypsum board, gypsum and concave walnut shell sample (moving surface L1). This situation provides an important contribution in terms of sound insulation by using natural and recyclable materials and the proposed test box, meeting the experimental criteria at low cost and in the field of noise control.