Melo, Luiz G. C., Dalaq, Ahmed S., Sgard, Franck, Doutres, Olivier and Wagnac, Éric.
2023.
« Experimental investigation of the static mechanical pressure induced by roll-downfoam earplugs ».
[Conference paper summary]. Canadian Acoustics = Acoustique Canadienne, vol. 51, nº 3.
pp. 116-117.
Abstract
Roll-down foam earplugs are a popular choice for hearing protection in North America. They are made of a soft, malleable foam that is compressed (rolled) into a small cylinder shape for proper insertion into the earcanal.Once inserted, the earplug expands, conforming to the shape of the earcanal, creating an acoustic seal that blocksout potentially harmful external noise. After full expansion, the static mechanical pressure (SMP) exerted by theearplug on the earcanal walls can cause physical annoyance or pain. In this work, we experimentally investigate theSMP of a PVC roll-down foam earplug by using a commercial radial force tester, commonly employed for assessingthe mechanical properties of stent grafts. It is found that the degree of pre-compression (before expansion) playsan important role in the observed SMP, that is, the more compressed the earplug, the lower the SMP. This is mainlydue to viscoelastic effects and damage mechanisms within the foam under excessive compression. These resultssuggest that users could adjust the SMP and fit of the earplug by varying the roll-down technique leading toimproved physical comfort and better protection
| Item Type: | Peer reviewed article published in a journal |
|---|---|
| Additional Information: | Thématique: Acoustics Week in Canada 2023. Montreal, QC, Canada. Oct. 03-06, 2023. |
| Professor: | Professor Doutres, Olivier Wagnac, Éric |
| Affiliation: | Génie mécanique, Génie mécanique |
| Date Deposited: | 23 Nov 2023 16:51 |
| Last Modified: | 11 Dec 2023 14:56 |
| URI: | https://espace2.etsmtl.ca/id/eprint/28103 |
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