Acoustic properties of Norway spruce wood modified with staining fungus (Sydowia polyspora)

Abstract

Effects of biological modification of Norway spruce wood with the wood-staining fungus Sydowia polyspora were evaluated relative to select physical and acoustical characteristics (PACHs), including the density (ρ), dynamic modulus of elasticity along the wood grain (EL), specific modulus (Esp), speed of sound along the wood grain (cL), resonant frequency (fr), acoustic constant (A), logarithmic decrement (ϑ), loss coefficient (η), acoustic conversion efficiency (ACE), sound quality factor (Q), and sound timbre. Incubation of the Norway spruce samples in S. polyspora lasted 12 w, 20 w, and 24 w. The results showed that the incubation time of spruce wood in S. polyspora did not have a statistically significant impact on most of the PACHs (ρ, EL, cL, fr, and A). However, biological modification of the spruce wood with S. polyspora had significant effects on the ϑ, η, and ACE. Treatment of the spruce wood with S. polyspora also changed the sound timbre, but the effects varied for each frequency.