Reverberation time

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/Acoustic/revtim.html#c3
 http://www.sengpielaudio.com/calculator-RT60.htm

Video
Echoes and reverberations, Khan Academy
https://www.khanacademy.org/science/in-in-class9th-physics-india/in-in-sound-india/in-in-
reflections-echoes-and-reverberation/v/echoes-and-reverberations
https://www.industrial-electronics.com/measurement-testing-com/architectual-acoustics-2-SOUND-
ABSORPTION-2.html
 3 [-]
S3 [m2]
Calculation of Reverberation time RT according to
5 [-] ….. n[-] 4 [-]
1 [-]
Sabine formula S5 [m2] ….. Sn [m2] S4 [m2]
S1 [m2]

for
room volume V  2000 m3 2 [-] , S2 [m2]
average sound absorption coefficient av  0.2
∑𝑛
𝑖=1 𝛼𝑖 𝑆𝑖
𝑎𝑣 = ∑𝑛
[-] , where S [m2] surface area,  [-] absorption coefficient, n – number of surfaces
𝑖=1 𝑆𝑖

𝑽
𝑹𝑻𝑺 = 𝟎. 𝟏𝟔𝟒 [𝒔]
𝑨
where
V [m3] room volume
A [m2] room absorption A = ∑𝑛𝑖=1 𝛼𝑖 𝑆𝑖 [m2]

Eyring formula
for
room volume V  2000 m3
average sound absorption coefficient av  0.2
𝑽
𝑹𝑻𝑬 = 𝟎. 𝟏𝟔𝟒 ( ) [𝒔]
𝑺. ∝𝑬
where
V [m3] room volume
S [m2] total surface area of the room
E = -ln(1-av) [-] Eyring sound absorption coefficient

Millington formula

for
room volume V  2000 m3
average sound absorption coefficient av  0.2
frequencies f  2000 Hz
𝑽
𝑹𝑻𝑴 = 𝟎. 𝟏𝟔𝟒 ( ) [𝒔]
𝑺. ∝𝑬 + 𝟒𝒎𝑽
where
V [m3] room volume
S [m2] total surface area of the room
E = -ln(1-av) [-] Eyring's sound absorption coefficient
m [-] coefficient of sound attenuation in the air (table value)
Absorption coefficient http://www.acoustic.ua/st/web_absorption_data_eng.pdf

Reference
Donatakova, D. Akustika s denní osvětlení. Modul 01. Textbook FCE, BUT 2015
https://intranet.fce.vutbr.cz/pedagog/predmety/_getfile.asp?opora=CH01_M01.PDF
 Task: Reverberation time of a classroom

The classroom of floor dimensions 8.0 m x 7.20 m, clearance height 4.0 m,

3 windows 1500 mm x 2000 mm (window sill 900 mm), wooden frame width 100 mm,
1 door 900 mm x 2000 mm (wooden door).
Surfaces : upper surface
- Floor: wood parquets
- Walls and ceiling soffit : plaster
- Desks: 18 wooden desks (dimensions 1300 mm x 450 mm) reversible surface
- Chairs: 36 wooden chairs (dimensions of seats 500 mm x 500 mm)
- Whiteboard: plastic (dimension 3000 mm x 1200 mm, position of
the board is 900 mm above the floor level)

Calculation procedure:
- Calculation of the room volume V [m3]
- Determination of surfaces and its sound absorption coefficients (for frequencies f= 125, 250,
500, 1000, 2000 and 4000 Hz) http://www.acoustic.ua/st/web_absorption_data_eng.pdf
- Calculation of room absorption A = ∑𝑛𝑖=1 𝛼𝑖 𝑆𝑖 [m2] ,
where S [m2] surface area,  [-] absorption coefficient, n – number of surfaces
∑𝑛
𝑖=1 𝛼𝑖 𝑆𝑖 𝐴
- Calculation of average sound absorption coefficient 𝑎𝑣 = ∑𝑛
= [-], (for frequencies
𝑖=1 𝑆𝑖 𝑆
f= 125, 250, 500, 1000, 2000 and 4000 Hz)
- if for the given frequency f [Hz]:
𝑽
av  0.2 use Sabine formula 𝑹𝑻𝑺 = 𝟎. 𝟏𝟔𝟒 [𝒔]
𝑨
𝑽
av  0.2 use Eyring formula 𝑹𝑻𝑬 = 𝟎. 𝟏𝟔𝟒 (𝑺.∝ ) [𝒔]
𝑬
- Compare RT with RTopt and calculate RT = (RT/RTopt).100 – 100 [%]  10 [%]

frequency 125 Hz 250 Hz 500 Hz 1000 Hz 2000 Hz 4000 Hz

 [-] table value … … … … …
2
A [m ]
av [-]
RTS or RTE [s]
RTopt [s] 0.91 0.77 0.70 0.70 0.70 0.74
RT [%]
- Design room absorption improvements like floor carpet, window curtain ceiling soffit and
recalculate reverberation time for the redesign.

Redesign
RTS or RTE [s]
- Graph
Further consideration:
Room occupancy:
RT [s] How the classroom reverberation time RT [s] is changed in
dependence on occupancy of:
original room - 5 persons
- 30 persons
Notice: 1 person – about 2 m2 surface area of textile

redesign
RTopt

125 250 500 1000 2000 4000 Hz

Scale: distance between octave bands 15 mm