The Relationship between Sound and Mechanical Properties of Korean Traditional Silk Fabric

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to measure sound parameters and mechanical properties of Korean traditional silk fabrics quantitatively, and to investigate the effect of mechanical properties on sound parameters. Five different specimens were randomly selected among Korean traditional silk fabrics commercially available. Those included Gapsa (GS) of leno weave construction, Nobangju (NB), Myoungju (MJ) and Shantung (ST) with plain weave, and Gondan (GD) of satin construction. The rustling sound of each fabric generated by MAFN (Measuring Apparatus for Fabric Noise) was analyzed by a Sound Quality System in order to calculate its objective sound parameters such as LPT (Level Pressure of Total sound), ⊿L (level range), ⊿f (frequency differences), and Zwicker’s psychoacoustic parameters including loudness (Z), sharpness (Z), roughness (Z), and fluctuation strength (Z). The fabrics were also investigated in terms of 17 mechanical properties by using KES-FB system. The FFT spectra of the specimens with the same weave structures showed similar shapes of the fluent curve to one another, and their amplitudes varied from low amplitudes to high ones. Gapsa was the traditional silk fabric showing the lowest values for both LPT (42.30 dB) and ⊿f(-11929.4 Hz) while Shantung was the one having the highest values for LPT (60.60 dB), loudness (Z) (8.69 sone), and sharpness (Z) (2.6 acum). The other hands, Nobangju had the highest ⊿L (38.24 dB) while the lowest ones for both ⊿f (-11929.4 Hz) same to Gapsa. As for Myoungju, it showed the lowest ⊿L (25.70 dB) among the silk fabrics. Finally Gongdan was the fabric of which ⊿f and fluctuation strength (Z) were the highest whereas its roughness (Z) (1.70 asper) was the lowest. The sound parameters were affected significantly by mechanical properties. LPT had negative relations with linearity of compression-thickness curve (LC) while positive correlations with weight (W). As for ⊿f, bending rigidity among the mechanical properties showed negative relations with it. Loudness (Z) was positively related with compression energy (WC). Sharpness (Z) was negatively related with compression resilience (RC), mean deviation of MIU (MMD) and hysteresis of bending moment (2HB). Fluctuation strength (Z) had negative relation with bending rigidity (B), mean deviation of MIU (MMD) but positive relation with elongation at maximum load (EM). Both LPT and loudness (Z) which had significantly correlated to each other were found as affected by compression properties. Bending properties influenced both ⊿f and fluctuation strength (Z) although they didn’t show any significant correlation to each other. Conclusively, by controlling the mechanical properties as indicated above in the textile manufacturing process, it may be possible to manage the frictional sounds of Korean traditional silk fabrics and to help the textile manufacturers design the pleasant sound of synthetic fabrics that imitate silk.