ACOUSTICAL TREATMENTS WITH DIFFUSIVE AND ABSORPTIVE PROPERTIES AND PROCESS OF DESIGN

An appropriate binary sequence is used to create an acoustical treatment surface having desired parts with reflective properties and desired parts having absorptive properties resulting in the net effect of partially diffusive, partially absorptive properties. A genetic algorithm is designed to search for optimal 1D and 2D configurations for the acoustical treatments. A genetic algorithm essentially mimics the process of evolution that occurs in biology and is a known mathematical technique. During the course of genetic optimization, the fitness of individual sequences for the desired purposes is calculated. A useful fitness function includes terms that optimize the desired percentage of reflectivity and absorptivity. Through use of genetically optimized binary sequences, a curved surface may be constructed and optimized to find the best shape to achieve even scattering. The curved surface produces a dramatic improvement in effectiveness of diffusion.