78:5 (2016) 191–196 | www.jurnalteknologi.utm.my | eISSN 2180–3722 | Jurnal Teknologi Full Paper COMPARISON ON ACOUSTIC PERFORMANCE BETWEEN DUST AND COIR FORM EMPTY FRUIT BUNCHES (EFB) AS SOUND ABSORPTION MATERIAL Emedya Murniwaty Samsudin a* , Lokman Hakim Ismail b , Aeslina Abdul Kadir c , Sharifah Salwa Sayed Mokdar a a Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, Malaysia b Department of Design Engineering and Architecture, Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, Malaysia c Department of Water and Environmental Enginering, Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, Malaysia Article history Received 17 July 2015 Received in revised form 18 November 2015 Accepted 3 March 2016 *Corresponding author emedya@uthm.edu.my Graphical abstract Abstract Positive growth in palm oil Industry resulting in large quantities of solid waste generation and created a major disposal problem to the country. Among the major solid wastes generated from oil palm manufacturing processed are empty fruit bunches (EFB), mesocarp fruit fibres (MF) and palm kernel shells (PKS). This study investigated the utilization of EFB as sound absorption material for noise control in building. The effect of different form of EFB (coir and dust) was investigated in three different thicknesses (6mm, 12mm and 18mm) to determine the maximum sound absorption coefficient (SAC) and optimum frequencies. All samples were tested using impedance tube at low and high frequencies guided by BS EN ISO 10534. Results shows that dust EFB samples absorbed more sound energy compared to coir EFB samples at both low and high frequency region. Maximum SAC obtained by 18mm thick dust EFB samples at low frequency is 0.6 at 1500Hz while at high frequency; the maximum absorption was also obtained by 18mm thick dust EFB samples with SAC value of 0.990 at 3750Hz. This result indicated that thicker samples absorbed more sound energy compared to thinner samples. Moreover, small particles fibers consequently create less pores to the samples with higher density and higher sound absorption. In conclusion, palm oil fibre is highly potential to be used as raw material for sound absorption material replacing synthetic materials since these fiber are renewable, cheaper, nonabrasive, abundance and give less negative effect to human health. Keywords: Empty fruit bunches (EFB), sound absorption coefficient, dust, coir Abstrak Pertumbuhan positif industri minyak sawit negara telah menyebabkan banyak kuantiti sisa pepejal yang terjana dan seterusnya mengakibatkan masalah pelupusan sisa pepejal kepada negara. Tiga jenis sisa pepejal yang terhasil daripada proses pengilangan minyak sawit ialah tandan buah kosong (EFB), gentian mesokarp buah sawit (MF) dan tempurung biji sawit (PKS). Kajian ini bertujuan untuk menyiasat keberkesanan pengunaan EFB sebagai bahan penyerap bunyi untk kawalan bunyi bising dalam bangunan. Kesan rupabentuk EFB (debu dan sabut) pada ketebalan berbeza (6mm, 12mm dan 18mm) dikenalpasti bagi mendapatkan pekali penyerapan bunyi maksimum dan frekuensi optimum. Kesemua sampel diuji menggunakan tiub impedan pada frekuensi rendah dan tinggi berpandukan BS EN ISO 10534. Keputusan menunjukkan EFB dalam bentuk debu menyerap lebih banyak bunyi berbanding EFB dalam bentuk sabut pada frekuensi rendah dan tinggi. Nilai pekali