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Scientific papers

2026-online first

The acoustical design and modelling of a subwavelength hexag-onal acoustic metamaterial for multipurpose use and potential building applications

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3280/ria2026oa22128
Submitted
febbraio 25, 2026
Published
2026-05-13

Abstract

The development and application of noise control strategies on subwavelength regimes have thus demanded a continuous effort by several researchers. In this context, the advent of acoustic metamaterials arose as a novel strategy on the sound wave manipulation and the development of subwavelength dimensions acoustic devices. In previous works by the authors, analytical approaches were developed to provide a more comprehensive acoustic characterization of the proposed metamaterial through equivalent fluid models. In contrast, the present work aims to advance the concept by introducing the design of a ventilated subwavelength acoustic metamaterial and by examining its potential applicability across multiple building-related contexts, including sound absorption and sound transmission control. By means of optimized geometrical configurations, it is possible to achieve quasi-perfect sound absorption (α> 0.8[-]) or enhanced sound transmission loss efficiency (> 30 [dB]) within subwavelength regimes. The results demonstrate that the proposed acoustic metamaterial operates effectively at subwavelength dimensions and within selectively tuned attenuation frequency bands, enabling single-, dual-, triple-, or hexa-resonance configurations. These features introduce additional degrees of freedom into the overall design concept, offering promising applications across various engineering fields, particularly in building acoustics.

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