Low-cost and easily implemented anechoic acoustic chambers.

Abstract

In this paper, the design, construction and verification of a low-cost and easy-to-install anechoic chamber are described. The chamber is constructed with affordable, local materials. The quality, according to the deviation from the inverse square law, complies with ISO 3745. The working dimensions of the chamber are 1.94 m long x 1.91 m wide x 1.84 m high. The nominal cutoff frequency is 400 Hz. The cost per square meter of the effective finished volume is 200 USD. With this design, small- and medium-sized enterprises are able to build anechoic chambers with a small investment, adding value to their products through characterization and subsequent mitigation, conditioning or amplification, as necessary, of emitted sound or noise. This study also contributes to the development and appropriation of knowledge in acoustics, a branch of physics of emerging importance in developing countries.