Multi-objective optimization for designing acoustic reflectors

In room acoustic design, it is common to use computer modeling to evaluate different options and scenarios. The process of defining the optimum shapes and locations of various acoustic elements, such as reflectors, diffusers or absorptive materials, or the design of material properties often involve multiple manual iterations. In many cases, this can lead to a lengthy design process or even a sub-optimal result. In this paper we present a method and a computer tool that automates the search process in an N-dimensional space using a mixture of black-box optimization algorithms to find optimum solutions for shape and placement related problems in room acoustic applications. A general framework for multi-objective and multi-dimensional optimization for acoustic applications is outlined, and practical examples on the optimum choice of the placement and angle of a set of variable ceiling reflectors with a ray tracer solver are shown.