Effectiveness of T-shaped acoustic resonators in low-frequency sound transmission control of a finite double-panel partition

Double-panel partitions are widely used for sound insulation purposes. Their insulation efficiency is, however, deteriorated at low frequencies due to the structural and acoustic resonances. To tackle this problem, this paper proposes the use of long T-shaped acoustic resonators in a double-panel partition embedded along the edges. In order to facilitate the design and assess the performance of the structure, a general vibro-acoustic model, characterizing the interaction between the panels, air cavity, and integrated acoustic resonators, is developed. The effectiveness of the technique as well as the optimal locations of the acoustic resonators is examined at various frequencies where the system exhibits different coupling characteristics. The measured optimal locations are also compared with the predicted ones to verify the developed theory. Finally, the performance of the acoustic resonators in broadband sound transmission control is demonstrated.