ACOUSTICS

⚫ A science that deals with the production, control,

transmission, reception, and effects of sound.”
⚫ Sound is reflected, transmitted, or absorbed by the materials
it encounters.

⚫ Soft surfaces, such as textiles, and batt insulation, tend to

absorb sound waves, preventing them from further motion.

⚫ Hard surfaces, such as ceramic tile, gypsum board, or wood,

tend to reflect sound waves, causing ‘echo’. Reverberation is
the term used to describe sound waves that are reflected off
of surfaces.

⚫ Dense, massive, materials, such as concrete or brick, tend to

transmit sound waves through the material.
 SOUND
⚫ Sound is a vibration that propagates as a typically audible
mechanical wave of pressure and displacement, through a
medium such as air or water
Characteristics of sound
⚫ Consists of alternate compressions and rarefactions that
are set up vibrating body
⚫ Sound waves transmits or travels in all directions through
any medium whether solid, liquid or gas.
⚫ The average sound travels in air at ordinary temperatures
and pressure with a speed of 340m/sec.
⚫ Sound cannot travel by vacuum.
⚫ Wavelength is the distance between any two consecutive
points on a wave.Frequency is the number of cycles of
vibration per second.
 SOUND IN CLOSED SPACES
• In case of concave shaped reflecting interior surface or domed
ceiling or an enclosure, depending upon the curvature of these
surfaces, there is possibility of meeting the sound rays at
appoint called as sound foci and thus it creates the sound of
large intensity .
• This defect can be minimized by providing proper geometrical
design.
• Shape of the interior faces including ceiling and also by
providing absorbent materials on focusing areas.
• On encountering barriers posed by the enclosure, sound waves
are likely to behave in the following ways:

• Reflection
• Absorption
• Refraction
• Diffusion
• Diffraction
• Transmission
⚫ Reflection : T h i s o c c u r s w h e n t h e
wavelength of a sound wave is smaller
than the surface of an obstacle.

⚫ Absorption: When sound waves hit the

surface of an obstacle, some of its energy is
reflected while some are lost through its
transfer to the molecules of the barrier.

⚫ Refraction :This is the bending of sound

when it travels from one medium into
another medium
⚫ Diffusion This is the scattering of waves
from a surface. It occurs as a result of the
texture and hardness of the obstacle

⚫ Diffraction When the wavelength of a

sound wave is smaller or equal to the size of
the obstacle

⚫ Transmission In this phenomenon,

sound wave is carried by molecules of the
obstacle through vibration and reemitted
 Study Acoustics
⚫ To control noise at an acceptable level.
⚫ Distinct speech or music audibility by the whole audience
inside an enclosure.
Requirement and conditions for good
acoustic
• The initial sound should of adequate intensity such that it can be
heard throughout the hall.
• The sound produced should be evenly distributed over the entire
area covered by the audience.
• In the hall used for speech, the initial sound should be clear and
distinct.
• In the hall used for music and dance the initial sound should
reach the audience with the same frequency and intensity .
• All noises whether originating from inside or outside of the hall
should be reduced to such an extent that they don’t interfere with
the normal hearing of music.
 ACOUSTIC MATERIALS

Sound Noise barriers

absorbers Sound diffusers • Vibration control Sound
• Composite reflectors/
⚫ Wall panels • Quadra pyramid
⚫ Ceiling clouds diffusers isolators
• Pyramid diffuser
⚫ Ceiling tiles
• Quadratic diffuser
⚫ Ceiling baffle
• Double duty
⚫ Curtains
diffuser
⚫ absorbers
Sound Absorbers.
⚫ These materials eliminate sound reflections and
are generally porous, with many pathways that
redirect sound and cause it to lose energy.
⚫ Typical sound absorbing materials are fiberglass,
rock wool, open cell polyurethane foam, cellular
melamine foam, heavy curtain blankets and thick
fabric wall coverings.
⚫ Absorber materials do not substantially block
sound, but absorption can enhance isolation by
stopping air movement that would otherwise allow
sound and noise to travel.

Sound Diffusers. (Alt. Diffusors.)

• These devices reduce the intensity of sound by scattering
it over an expanded area, rather than eliminating the
sound reflections as an absorber would.
• Traditional spatial diffusers, such as the polycylindrical
(barrel) shapes also double as low frequency traps.
Noise Barriers.
• These materials are heavy, dense and massive to prevent
sound penetration.
• A common material is drywall (gypsum, sheetrock). Thin
materials with high sound blocking characteristics are
lead foil and mass loaded vinyl.
• A sandwich of dissimilar materials such as five-eighths
inch gypsum, one- eighth inch vinyl barrier, and a half-
inch finish layer of drywall will block more effectively than
an equivalent thickness of drywall alone.
• More energy is lost as sound must change its speed for
each different material

Sound Isolators.
• These devices are resilient and prevent sound
transmission through the structural steel or concrete of
a building as well as its plumbing and air handling
systems.
• Typical devices are resilient channel for drywall,
isolation pads for floors, and special adhesives for walls
to avoid the hard connections of nails and screws that
often provide a sound path through otherwise effective
sound insulation materials.
 Study of various absorbing materials
⚫ All materials should absorb sound but some to a lesser extent.
⚫ Sound wave strikes porous surface and dissipate heat channels.
⚫ Efficiency of sound energy depends upon the porosity of
material.

The need for absorbing materials

⚫ To ensure Privacy
⚫ Noise control
⚫ To improve Environment for efficient working.
 CLASSIFICATION OF SOUND ABSORBENTS
Classification of sound absorbent

Porous Resonant Panels Composite

Cavity
absorbents type
absorbent Resonators Absorbents

• Porous absorbents: A good example

of a porous sound absorbent is stone
wool. When the sound wave penetrates
the mineral wool, the sound energy
through friction is changed into heat.
• High frequencies (above 500 Hz) are
easier to handle with 30–50 mm stone
wool thicknesses. More challenging are
the sounds in frequencies below 500 Hz.
• Here we need thicker stone wool slabs to
create better sound absorption. Material
thickness can also be compensated for
with air space behind an acoustic ceiling
or wall panel to improve low frequency
performance
Resonant Panels Absorbents:
⚫ Semi hard material in the form of fibrous boards.
⚫ In this system the absorbent material is fixed on
the sound framing with an air gap left out
between this material and the wall backing.
⚫ Sound waves of appropriate frequency cause
vibration in the panels.
⚫ Absorption is obtained by damping this vibration
by means of an air space.
⚫ Resonant Panels are effective for sound
absorption at the lower frequencies.
Cavity Resonators:
consist of a container or chamber with a small
opening in which absorption takes place by the
resonance of the air in the container which causes
loss of sound energy
⚫ It can be designed to absorb sound of any
frequency.
⚫ Suitable for Particular higher frequencies.

Composite type Absorbents:

⚫ Combination of all the 3 types.
⚫ Consists of perforated panel fixed over an air
space containing porous absorbents.
⚫ Panel may be of metal,plywood,hard board
etc.
 ACOUSTIC DEFECTS

1. Formation of echoes:

Echoes mainly produced due to the reflection of sound waves (mainly from the
surface of walls , roofs , ceilings etc. ) coming from the some sources , reaches
to the ear , just when direct sound wave is already heard and thus there is a
repetitions that is nothing but echoes.
1. Normally the formation of echoes (happens when the time lag between the
two voices or sounds is about 1/17 of a second. And the reflecting surfaces
are situated at a distance more than 15 meter.
2. If the reflected surface is curved with smooth surface this problem usually
occurs. To minimizes this problem select ion of proper geometry of
auditorium and surface and also use the rough and porous material for the
 Reverberation:
Reverberation means the prolonged reflection of sound from wall floor or roof of a
hall.
1. When the sound is reflected back (some part of the sound is absorbed )
resulting in formation of echoes, but sometimes this reflection of sound does not
stop even the sound is died out.
2. The sound reflected back and forth against the walls, ceilings and floors for
several times This is mainly when sound in closed spaces successively
reflected by the smooth boundaries of the enclosed space.
Sound focii

⚫ Reflecting concave surfaces causes

concentration of reflected sound
waves at certain spot creating a
sound of large intensity.These spots
are called sound focii.
⚫ This defect can be removed:
⚫ Geometrical designed shapesof the
interior faces,including ceilings.
⚫ Providing highly absorbent
materials on focusing areas
Dead Spots
⚫ This defect is an outcome of the formation of sound focii.
⚫ Because of high concentration of reflected sounds at sound
focii,there is deficiency of reflected sounds at some other
points.
⚫ These points are dead points where sound intensity is so low
that it is insufficient for hearing.
⚫ This defect can be removed by:
⚫ Installation of suitable diffusers o that it can evenly distribute
sound in the hall
 Insufficient
loudness
⚫ the sound waves should be properly reflected and uniform ally spread
all over the interior part of the auditorium.
⚫ But due to the lack of sound reflecting flat surfaces near the sound
source or stage and excessive absorption of sound in the hall resulting
the defect of insufficient loudness. This defect can be minimized by
providing hard surface near the stage and absorbent material should
be provided as per the requirements. Also the location of the loud-
speakers should be adjusted. So that there is no dead spots and
sound foci. Also use of adequate no of windows or door openings