An improved approach for normal-incidence sound transmission loss measurement using a four-microphone impedance tube

The main aim of this study is to introduce an improved method for determining the sound properties of acoustic materials which is more precise than the common wavefield decomposition method and simpler than the common transfer matrix method. In the first part of the article, a group of formulae for calculating sound transmission loss is represented by combining the wavefield decomposition and transfer matrix methods. Subsequently, a formula for calculating sound absorption coefficients is derived from these formulae by definition. Furthermore, the present formulae are validated by comparing the experimental results achieved with the present formulae and those results obtained by other methods recorded in published articles. Eventually, it is demonstrated that the method can accurately measure the sound insulation performance of materials and the sound absorption properties of limp and lightweight materials.