The theoretical estimation of sound absorption coefficient of a surface may give very different results. This will depend on the type of sound field assumed in the theoretical model used for the estimation of its sound absorption coefficient. Absorption coefficients for normal and diffuse sound fields are widely known, although they may be far from the absorption values given by an absorbing material when it is finally installed inside a room or enclosed space, where a sound field closer to a spherical wavefront is more likely to be found. This work presents a theoretical study, which is addressed at obtaining a mathematical expression to calculate the sound absorption coefficient for a variable range of incidence angles, called αs. The presented method uses a circular sound field incidence as an approximation to a spherical incidence. The estimation of this coefficient αs is based on obtaining the incident and reflected sound fields for a surface located facing a lineal source. The advantage of this calculation method over others lies on its capability to give results for circular, normal and random wave incidence depending on the range of incidence angles considered in the calculation.

Efficient ultrasonic noise reduction by using enclosures requires the knowledge of absorbing properties of materials in the frequency range above 4 kHz. However, standardized methods enable determination of absorption coefficients of materials in the frequency range up to 4 kHz. For this reason, it is proposed to carry out measurements of the sound absorption properties of materials in the free field by means of a tone-burst technique in the frequency range from 4 kHz to 40 kHz at angles of incidence varying from 0° to 60°. The absorption coefficient of a material is calculated from the reflection coefficient obtained by reflecting a tone-burst from both a perfectly reflecting panel and a combination of this panel and the sample of the tested material. The tests results show that mineral wool and polyurethane open-cell foam possess very good absorbing properties in this frequency range.