Numerical Investigation of Low-Frequency Sound Absorption in Micro-perforated Panel–Porous Composite Structures

Abstract

This study conducts a numerical analysis of low-frequency sound absorption in micro-perforated panels (MPPs) and porous composites using the finite element method within COMSOL Multiphysics 6.2. The primary aim is to optimize the acoustic performance of MPP-based composite structures by systematically refining key design parameters, including hole diameter, perforation ratio, panel thickness, and air gap depth in combination with a porous layer. The research follows a multi-phase approach to evaluate the effects of these parameters and their interactions in various configurations. First, the influence of MPP characteristics on sound absorption coefficient was examined with a focus on optimizing to achieve maximum performance. Second, the integration of porous composite layers with MPPs in two distinct stacking configurations was explored: one with the porous layer placed behind and in front of the MPP. The third phase investigated the role of an air layer, analyzing the effects of varying its thickness and positioning to optimize impedance matching and enhance low-frequency sound absorption. Additionally, the impact of an additional air gap between layers was examined to identify configurations that maximize broadband absorption. The findings reveal that a strategic combination of MPPs, porous composites, and optimally positioned air gaps significantly enhances low-frequency sound absorption (50–1000 Hz). Results indicate that fine-tuning MPP perforation characteristics, in conjunction with carefully selected porous materials and well-calibrated air gaps, leads to a marked improvement in overall absorption efficiency. This study establishes a novel framework for designing highperformance acoustic panels, offering innovative solutions for noise control in architectural, transportation, and industrial applications.

Received: 13 December 2025 | Revised: 10 March 2026 | Accepted: 24 March 2026

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to this work.

Data Availability Statement

Data are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Author Contribution Statement

Majid Mohammadi: Conceptualization, Methodology, Software, Validation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Resources, Data curation, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing, Visualization, Supervision, Project administration. Armin Hashemi: Software.