Nizhny Novgorod scientists have developed building panels that can significantly reduce noise without making the structure much heavier. This is important for homes, offices, and premises where the hum of ventilation, industrial equipment, or other constant sounds are a nuisance. According to the Russian Ministry of Education and Science, the new technology allows for a 30% reduction in noise levels.
The development was created by specialists from the Nizhny Novgorod State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering in cooperation with the Institute of Mechanical Engineering Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The design is based on a thin and light steel panel only 1 cm thick.
A periodic grid of miniature heavy resonators on an elastic gypsum fiber base is attached to such a panel. When a sound wave hits the structure, these resonators begin to oscillate in antiphase with the sound – that is, they seem to work against it. Due to this, the noise energy is "locked" and absorbed inside the structure.
According to the press service, a similar effect could only be achieved by classical methods by sharply increasing the weight of the structure. The base plate would have to be 5-10 times more massive.
Dmitry Monich, Head of the Architecture Department at NNGASU, noted that the created mathematical model allows for the design of "smart" panels for a specific type of noise. This could be, for example, the hum of an aircraft engine, the operation of ventilation systems, or industrial equipment.