ASSIGNMENT - 5

Que 1) Explain with sketches, various types of acoustical materials with their classification,
characteristics and usage.

-Acoustical materials are classified as follows,

• Sound diffusers
• Sound absorbers
• Sound reflectors
• Noise barriers

Properties of Acoustic Material

Acoustical properties are those that govern how materials respond to sound waves, which are what
we perceive as sound.

• Sound energy is captured and adsorbed

• Higher density improves the sound absorption efficiency at lower frequencies.
• Higher density material help to maintain a low flammability performance. Hence acoustic material
should have higher density.
It has a low reflection and high absorption of sound
• It suppresses echoes, reverberation, resonance and reflection.
Acoustic material reduces the energy of sound waves as they pass through.
• It controls the sound and noise levels from machinery and other sources for environmental
amelioration and regulatory compliance.

Uses of Acoustic Material

It makes the sound more audible which is clear to listen without any disturbances.
used for sound insulation for closed spaces.
• It suppresses echoes, reverberation, reflection and resonance.
• Sound proof doors and windows are designed to reduce the transmission of sound.

Sound diffusers
Sound diffusers are designed to scatter or disperse sound waves, thereby reducing standing waves
and echoes to improve sound clarity. Diffusers are typically used in critical listening environments like
recording studios, control rooms, music production and live music rooms.

Diffusion in simple terms is the scattering of sound energy. When sound bounces off hard flat
surfaces, the energy remains very much intact yielding discrete echoes. These echoes will produce
destructive effects like comb filtering, standing waves and flutter echoes which degrade speech
intelligibility and music clarity. Installing sound diffusers can deal with this problem. Diffusers
interrupt discrete echoes by scattering or diffusing sound energy over a wide area without removing it
from the room. This maintains sound clarity and improves speech intelligibility.
Unlike sound absorbers that trap or eliminate the sound, sound diffusers maintain the “live”
ambience, while at the same time reducing standing waves and slap echo. Diffusers may be
manufactured from molded plastic or E-Glass and may be wrapped or covered in various fabrics.
• Sound diffusers are often used in combination with
other materials such as sound absorbers, bass
traps, ceiling clouds or other provisions to achieve
the desired results for the application

b) Sound absorbers
• Absorbers The property of surface by which sound energy (kinetic energy) is converted into other
form of energy, generally heat energy (due to friction) and get absorbed.
• The degree to which this surface affects the absorption of sound is known as absorption coefficient.
• Reduce reverberation and noise by absorbing sound.
• Sound absorption efficiency is rated by an NRC number, or Noise Reduction Coefficient rating.
• The higher the NRC rating, the more efficient the product is at absorbing noise energy

Need of Sound Absorbent

• 1. To enhance privacy,
• 2. Noise control,
• 3. To control R.T., Echo, Focusing etc.
• 4. To improve listening conditions for speech and music,
• 5. To Reduction of sounds and vibrations.
• 6. To avoid of strong echoes and focusing of sound ray
• Sound absorbers can be divided into three main categories:
• Porous absorbents.
• Resonance absorbents.
• Single absorbents
• Characters of Sound Absorbing Materials :
• 1.Porous Materials Basic acoustical characteristic of all porous materials is a cellular network of
minute interlocking pores.
• They convert the incident sound energy into heat energy by the frictional and viscous resistance
within these pores and by vibration of their small fibers.
• Porous materials, spaced away from their solid backing will also act as vibrating panel absorbers,
favorably contributing to absorption at low frequencies.

c) Noise barriers

• Noise barrier materials are used to block noise from transmitting from one area to another.
• These barriers are solid obstructions build between roadways and residential areas.
• These barriers do not block all noise, they only reduce the overall noise level.
• Effective noise barriers reduce noise levels by 5 to 10 decibels.
• These acoustical materials are typically made of flexible mass-loaded vinyl or other engineered
materials.
• Performance is measured by placement of these materials between source and receiver and is
measured by an STC rating.
• All Noise Barriers are rated by an STC number or Sound Transmission Classification.
d) Sound reflectors

• In order to hear loud, clear echo, the hearer must also be far enough away from the surface the
sound wave is bouncing off of so the sound wave space to reverberate,
• Smooth materials
• When a sound wave ,which is made up of kinetic energy , collides with a surface , it will release its
kinetic energy as heat at the site of that collision .
• For e.g. : Glass and Metals
• Hard Materials
• A hard, relatively nonporous material, such as concrete , is as dissimilar as possible to the medium
the sound waves move through-the air.
• For e.g. : rock, manmade concrete and asphalt

-RAJ MAHESHWARI
VII SEM
PIADS, NAGPUR