Building

services-
IV
NOISE REDUCITON AND NOISE CONTROL

Presented by Ar. Deepika and Ar. Greeshma, BGSSAP 1

What is noise?
Human perception plays an important role in identifying whether it is noise or sound that we hear.
Our ears are always listening and cannot be turned off.
Sound is defined as what you as a person can hear; noise is defined as unwanted sound, even at
normal or low intensity levels.

Noise is considered to be any unwanted or disturbing sound that affects the health and well-being
of humans and other organisms.
Sounds that reach 85 decibels or higher can harm a person’s ears. Sound sources that exceed this
threshold include familiar things, such as power lawn mowers (90 decibels), subway trains (90 to
115 decibels), and loud rock concerts (110 to 120 decibels).
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Effect of noise pollution
Other than being a nuisance, noise pollution as a result of construction projects can have damaging effects on
people and the environment. Here are a few of the ways that noise pollution can harm you and your community.
•Loss of hearing — One of the most common effects of noise pollution is noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), which
is irreversible.
•Threatens biodiversity — Noise pollution can also harm both land animals and aquatic life. Because many land
animals use sound to navigate and find food, noise pollution can make it harder for them to accomplish these
important tasks. Underwater construction also has an impact on animals that use echolocation to communicate
and navigate under the sea.
•Negative effects on the well-being of humans — Prolonged exposure to loud noise can cause high blood
pressure, heart disease, sleep disturbances, and stress

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Indoor and outdoor
noise

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Industrial
noise
Workers in factories and machine shops across the globe are exposed to many kinds of noise and
frequencies. Constant, repetitious, or excessive sound above 85 decibels can damage a worker’s ears.

Industrial noise is the sound that comes from:

•Vents
•Blowers
•Steam Valves
•Exhaust Fans
•Air Compressors
•Power Tools

Equipment with fans is a big offender because the blades cause various
frequency changes. The higher pitches can pierce earplugs and cause
irreparable hearing damage.
Wood shops are another source of unwanted noise for work crews. These
shops use lathes, drills, saws, and sanders that combine to create a lot of
excessive noise.
Exposure to this equipment for over eight hours a day is enough to cause
permanent damage even if the levels stay below the recommended range.
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Air borne
sound
This type of noise is transmitted by air and
atmosphere such as the radio, the barking of
dogs or people carrying on conversations.
When sound waves traveling through the air
reach a building element they hit it and cause it
to vibrate. These vibrations travel through the
structure or building and are radiated out the
other
side.
Structural borne sound (Impact
noise)
Structure-borne noises are transmitted when
sound arises from the actual impact of an object
on a building element such as a wall, floor or
ceiling. Structure-borne sound occurs because the
impact causes both sides of the building element
to vibrate, generating sound waves. This can
oftentimes be the hardest to isolate
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Acceptable indoor noise level
Acceptable noise levels are those which will neither cause uncomfortable conditions nor damage the acoustics of the building
Acceptable noise levels depend upon
(a) nature and type of noise
(b) time of fluctuations of
noise
(c) background noise
(d) type and use of building

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Sound transmission between spaces

Sound travels through other materials as well as air. It can be

transmitted through steel, wood, concrete, masonry, or other
rigid construction materials. In order to deal with sound
control one should understand how sound travels.

There are three paths by which sound travels:

• direct path which is the straight line between the source
and receiver
• reflected path which occurs as sound bounces off various
surfaces
• diffracted path which involves sound bending over the top
and around the sides of partitions.

The control of sound in a building requires consideration of all

three paths.

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Flanking transmission
Where a room is separated from another room, sound can travel by two routes: directly through the separating structure called direct
transmission, and around the separating structure through adjacent building elements called flanking transmission.

Direct transmission depends upon the properties of the

separating wall or floor and can be estimated from laboratory
measurements. Flanking transmission is more difficult to predict
because it is influenced by the details of the junctions between the
building elements and the quality of construction on site.

It is notable that, in certain circumstances, such as where separating

walls have a high standard of acoustic insulation but side walls are
constructed to lower standards and are continuous between rooms,
flanking transmission can account for the passage of more sound
than direct transmission.

It is therefore important that the junctions between separating

elements are detailed and built correctly to minimize flanking sound
transmission.

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Transmission loss
Transmission loss of sound is a measurement of the reduction in sound level of a sound source as it passes through an acoustic
barrier. It is the number of decibels that are stopped by the acoustical barrier or the wall and is measured at different frequencies.
Heavier walls and acoustic barriers have a higher transmission loss than lighter materials.
For example, a wall constructed of twelve inch thick dense concrete will have a much higher transmission loss than a four inch thick
hollow brick wall.

1.Transmission loss is expressed in terms of loss of sound intensity (expressed in

decibles)

2.The efficiency of sound insulation of barrier(such as wall

,partition,door,floor,etc.)is expressed in terms of transmission loss of air-borne
sound passing through the barrier.

3.The transmission loss (or sound insulation) offered by a structure depends

upon the materials used and method of construction.

4.Transmission loss depends upon the frequency of sound . Hence transmission

loss of a structure should be studied over a wide range of sound frequencies

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 Ways to reduce noise
1. Eliminate the source

2. Increase distance. Locating noisy equipment farther from people is obvious but not always possible. Increasing
distance between the source and receiver in an outdoor environment will reduce noise by 6 dB per doubling of
distance. The reduction is usually less indoors, where reflections from room surfaces lessen the effects of
distance. Whether outside or indoors, it is best to locate loud sources and spaces far away from sensitive areas.

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3. Use a barrier or enclosure. Walls, floors, ceilings and windows are all forms of barriers that reduce noise transmission
in buildings. Equipment enclosures are common for generators and other loud sources located outside. While enclosures
contain the noise, barriers cause diffraction of pressure waves and create a shadow zone where noise is lower.

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4. Improve vibration A large percentage of the noise problems we encounter are really vibration isolation
isolation. Noise transmission between spaces in buildings almost always involves vibration. Here is an example: A
problems.
transformer located in the penthouse electrical room has rubber vibration isolation pads, but they are not
effective. The transformer causes vibration in the floor that propagates through the structure to walls of a
conference room below. The walls vibrate, which causes pressure waves in the air (similar to a loudspeaker),
resulting in undesirable noise and complaints. The best solution to reduce noise in the conference room is to
improve the vibration isolation at the transformer.

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5. Add absorption / Controlling sound reflections in a room by using ceiling tiles, sound absorption panels,
diffusion. sprays and other materials can reduce the reverberant component of noise in the room. However, the effect is
acoustical
limited and large reductions in room noise level, or in transmission to other spaces outside the room, cannot be
expected. Generally, if you double the amount of absorption in a room you can expect a 3 dB reduction in noise. For
some speech intelligibility problems, controlling reflections that interfere with the direct speech path is more important
than lowering the room noise level, and then adding absorption makes sense. Diffusion in a room causes scattering of
sound and can make the absorption materials seem more effective. These principals can be extended to HVAC systems
also, where duct liner and elbows are used to reduce noise that travels through lengths of duct.

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Ways to isolate noise
Only two things stop sound – MASS AND SPACE.

You need mass to contain the airborne sound, you need space (an air gap or similar unobstructed area) so that the structure
borne sound can not be transmitted.

Two aspects need to be considered for sound isolation: Keeping sound out of the listening environment, and retaining sound
within the listening environment.

Sound insulation is the prevention of transmission of sound or alternatively, a reduction of sound energy transmitted into an
adjoining air space.

Two types of sound insulation are to be dealt with in building construction.

(a)Airborne Sound Insulation : the insulation against noise originating in air, e.g. voices, music, motor traffic, wind.
(b) Impact Sound Insulation : the insulation against noise originating directly on a structure by blows or vibration e.g.
footsteps above, furniture being moved, drilling and hammering the structure.

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AIR BORNE SOUND CAN BE STOPPED IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS
1. Mass
Transmission of airborne sound across a solid wall or a single skin partition will obey what is known as the mass law. This law may
be expressed in a variety of ways. In principle, the law suggests that the sound insulation of a solid element will increase by
approximately 5 dB per doubling of mass. The mass law is applicable between 10 and 1000 kg/m 2.

a 12" concrete floor absorbs more sound energy than a 4" concrete floor. Extra layers of drywall reduce transmitted noise through
both walls and ceilings.
2. Isolation
Lightweight framed construction achieves far better standards of airborne sound
insulation than the mass law would suggest because of the presence of a cavity and
therefore a degree of isolation between the various layers of the construction.

It has been demonstrated that the sound insulation of individual elements within a
double skin partition tend to combine together in a simple cumulative linear relationship.
The overall performance of a double skin partition can therefore generally be determined
by simply adding together the sound insulation ratings of its constituent elements.

In this way, two comparatively lightweight partitions of 25 to 30 dB sound reduction can

be combined to give an acoustically enhanced partition with a 50 to 60 dB sound
reduction, whereas the mass law alone would suggest only a 5 dB improvement.

The width of the cavity between separate layers is important to the acoustic performance
of a wall. The cavity width should be at least 40 mm.

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3. Sealing
It is important to provide adequate sealing around floors and partitions because even a small gap can lead to a marked deterioration in
acoustic performance. Joints between walls and between walls and ceilings should be sealed with tape or caulked with sealant. Where
walls abut profiled metal decks, or similar elements, mineral wool packing and acoustic sealants may be required. Where there are
movement joints at the edges of walls, special details are likely to be necessary; advice should be sought from manufacturers.

Ideally, wall linings, e.g. gypsum-based board, should not be penetrated by services. This is particularly important for separating walls
between dwellings. Where service penetrations do occur in sensitive locations, particular attention should be given to the way in which
these are detailed.

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SOUND BLOCKING/ SOUND PROOFING
Sound Blocking is commonly called sound proofing and is used to block sound from transmitting into adjacent areas or workstations.
In general, if the source of unwanted sound is generated in another room, space, or from the outside and is transferring through a wall,
ceiling, or floor into your space, then the sound has to be blocked by using sound blocking products.
To stop the direct path of sound, we erect barriers (system wall panels) which stop sound from passing through.
the sound blocking materials are dense and heavy. With no air spaces for sound waves to slip into and through, these products
essentially cut off the direct path into adjacent areas.

1. SOUND PROOFING OF WALLS

2. SOUND PROOFING OF
CEILING
3. SOUND PROOFING OF
FLOOR

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WALL INSULATION

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 WALL INSULATION
Wall construction used for sound insulation can be of three types:

1)Partition wall of porous material:

these can be of rigid or non-rigid
type. In the rigid partitions,
insulation is 10% more.
Rigid foam is a type
of insulation that is used where
weight is in need of support like
under a floor or in lofts. As well as
having rigidity and durability, rigid
foam also provides acoustic
insulation by minimizing the level of
sound travelling through walls or
raised floors, such as in flats etc.
Used for external walls

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2) Double wall partition: this consists of plasterboards or fiberboards or plaster on laths on both the faces, with sound
absorbing blankets in between.

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Remedial treatment for already constructed walls

• Build a studwork frame attached to the

ceiling and floor but not to the original
wall
• Hang mineral wool inside the cavity

• Line the stud work with two layers of plaster

board making sure the joints between the
sheets in the first and the second layer do
not
coincide

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CEILING AND FLOORING INSULATION

These act as horizontal barriers to both air-borne and impact noises. Main emphasis is given to the insulation against the impact noises.
This may be done by:

1) Use of resilient material on the floor surfaces: this consists of providing thin concrete slab as the RCC floor slab, and
then providing a soft floor finish material such as linoleum, cork, asphalt mastic, carpet, etc.

2) Concrete floor floating construction: in this an additional floor is constructed and isolated from the existing concrete
floor.

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3) Timber floor floating construction: this is done by employing mineral or glass wool quilt for isolation purposes. A further improvement
in the insulation of such floors is achieved by employing a plugging or deadening material in the air gap between the wooden joists.

4)Timber floor with suspended ceiling and air space: the highest insulation can be achieved by using a very heavy ceiling, which are
arranged to be independent of the floor by supporting it on resilient mountings.

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5) Skirting: the larger the contact area a skirting provides between the floors and the walls, the lower would be insulation.
For this the lower edge of the skirting is chamfered thus reducing the area of contact.

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Remedial treatment for already constructed ceiling Remedial treatment for already constructed floor

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FLOATING FLOORS

• One of the most practical means of obtaining high impact sound insulation in a building is to use a floating floor construction.
A floating floor rests on the structural floor but is separated from it by a resilient support such as a mineral wool blanket. The
construction can be considered as a mass-spring damping element system as shown below.
• It is vitally important in any floating floor construction that the resilient element is nowhere shorted by a rigid mechanical
connection. Such connections which allow sound to be transmitted across the element are sometimes referred to as sound
bridges.

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ACOUSTIC LEAKS

• Even when doors and windows of special design are used, the measured sound insulation will only approach the expected value
providing all the gaps and cracks around the doors and windows are adequately sealed. The higher the sound insulation required,
the more important is this attention to detail.

• Less obvious acoustic leaks can occur via the gaps around service pipes and conduits where they have to pass through walls.
Transmission of sound via ventilation ducts can also reduce the effective insulation of a building element. In buildings where
suspended ceilings exist it is a mistake from the acoustic point of view for the dividing walls between offices to extend only up to
the suspended ceiling as sound can easily propagate from one office to another via the air gap above the suspended ceiling. A
similar type of transmission path can occur when there is a basement or ventilation space below the floor . These transmission
paths can be blocked by continuing the dividing wall through the air gap to join the main structure.
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DISCONTINUOUS CONSTRUCTION
• When very high sound insulation is required, a discontinuous construction is usually employed. This means that the room (or rooms) to be
insulated is completely separated from the main structure of the building supported only by vibration isolation mountings which must be
designed for the load of that particular room. It is important to ensure that there are no sound bridges or short circuits by which sound
can penetrate into the isolated room. All service pipes, ventilation ducts and conduits must have flexible joints where they traverse the
cavity. An example of this "box within a box" construction is shown below
• This type of construction is frequently used for building anechoic rooms used for acoustic research. For anechoic rooms further acoustical
treatment is required inside the room to prevent reflections.

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VENTILATION AND AIR CONDITIONAING SYSTEMS
• Structure borne sound is produced by the fan, motor and compressor of the system in the same way as from other machines.
Aerodynamic noise is produced by the movement of air in the ducts and through grilles and diffusers. These noises are transmitted via
the ducts to all other parts of the building.
• Correct planning at an early stage will save costly modifications later on. The machinery i.e. motor, fan, compressor, should be placed as
far as possible from the areas which are liable to be sensitive to noise. The machinery should be isolated from the main structure of the
building by means of anti-vibration mounts. Short lengths of flexible, resilient hosing should be inserted between the machinery and the
ductwork.
• To reduce the noise transmitted by the ducts a number of techniques may be employed such as

1. the lining of the ducts with sound absorbing material,

2. the inclusion of a plenum chamber in the system,
3. provision of bends and smooth changes of cross sectional area of the ducts
4. the insertion of ready made commercially available attenuators
5. the use of vanes for maintaining a non-turbulent air flow.

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2. Lining of ducts
One of the simplest ways of reducing the aerodynamic noise present in the air flow is to line the ducts with sound absorbing material.
The linings should have

1) high absorption coefficient

2) smooth surface for low air friction
3) adequate strength to resist disintegration due to the air stream
4) odourless, fire, rot and vermin proof It is advantageous to use lining material in the vicinity of a bend in the duct.

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2. Plenum chambers
These chambers are the only effective remedy for low frequency noise. The chambers should be made as large as possible and should be
lined with a thick layer of sound absorbing material. Additional absorption can be obtained by installing baffles within the chamber. The
volumes which occur naturally in modern buildings e.g. under staircases can be used as plenum chambers.

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SOUND TRANSMISSION CLASS

The STC or sound transmission class is a single number method of rating how well wall partitions reduce sound transmission. The STC
provides a standardized way to compare products such as doors and windows made by competing manufacturers. A higher number
indicates more effective sound insulation than a lower number.

There are many ways to improve the sound transmission class of a partition, though the two most basic principles are adding mass and
increasing the overall thickness. In general, the sound transmission class of a double leaf wall (e.g. two 4"-thick brick walls separated by
a 2" airspace) is greater than a single wall of equivalent mass (e.g. homogeneous 8" brick wall).

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SOUND MASKING
SOUND MASKING is a method of introducing an electronically produced sound, evenly distributed throughout a space, to overwhelm sound which cannot
be blocked or absorbed by any other means. It is a soft ambient sound introduced into a room, that sounds like air-conditioning. The result is a soft sound
that masks human speech, and other related offices noises.

Typical office noise ranges from human speech and conversations, to phones ringing, keyboards clicking, fax machines, filing cabinets doors slamming,
people walking, computer sounds, car/truck traffic outside the window, elevators dinging, and many more.

These noises cause distractions

that lower employee
productivity, raise data entry
errors, increase employee stress,
mental fatigue, and sometime
lead to turn over, especially in
call centers.

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INSTALLATION OF SOUND MASKING SYSTEM
Speakers are mounted above the ceiling tile where you can't see them and pointed upward. Audio equalizers are used to tune the sound to the specific acoustic
characteristics of the office.
The background sound can adjust automatically throughout the day. The level of sound is lower during non-peak hours than during periods of greater
activity. Our sound masking is used in cubicle areas, exam rooms, private offices, as well as reception areas, and public
spaces.
Effective sound masking has the following
characteristics:
• It isn't noticed when it's on, but is missed if turned
• Itoffhas the correct tonal qualities. A "humm" not a
• It is never obtrusive - it disappears and may be thought to be the normal background sound of a well designed HVAC system.
"hiss.“
• It is the correct volume - louder than what you don't want to hear but, not so loud as to interfere with the conversations you want to have. One should
never feel compelled to speak over it or strain to listen.
• It is uniform throughout the space - no "hot spots" or "dead spots."

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