ARCHITECTURAL ACOUSTIC

Introduction:

• Architectural acoustic involve the study of principles of

acoustics for the planning, design and construction of certain room
and buildings which are free from disturbing noises and also
provide the optimum conditions for quality of speech and music.
• Architectural acoustic involve deserving the acoustical
treatment such as auditoriums, open air theatres,
cinema halls, public lecture halls, radio broadcasting
studios, law courts, conference rooms etc. should be
properly planned and adequately designed for acoustic
before they are actually constructed.
• Architectural acoustic involve the construction and
application of sound absorbents and sound reflecting
materials should be provided the optimum conditions
for the growth, decay and steady or stable distribution
of sound in such room or above mentioned acoustical
buildings.
 Noise
• When the sound waves non-periodic, irregular and short
duration, they produce displeasing effect such sound is called
as noise or another word unwanted or abrupt (sudden) sound
reaching the ear and it may be due to high frequency of sound
or high intensity of sound or both.
Acceptable Noise Level
• A noise which will either does not cause uncomfortable condition nor
damage of the acoustics of the building is called as acceptable noise level.

• The acceptable noise level depends up on nature of noise, intensity of noise,

type of building, climatic conditions, hearing ability of people, distance
between source and listener etc.

• For example in an office where people need to communicate at a distance

from 2.5m to 3m the acceptable noise level or speech interference level
should not be exceed 40dB. See the acceptable noise level for different
buildings given below;
• Noise level in residential buildings: Acceptable noise level in the
residential building itself differs from room to room based on normal
activities, location of the building (urban & rural). The least noise level is
to be found in bed room and it normally from10 to 15dB. The
acceptable noise level for living is 30 to 40dB. The highest noise
producers in the residential building are service areas like kitchen,
bathroom etc. and the acceptable noise level in these areas are 70dB.
Other acceptable noise level in the residential building is 90dB due to
cars, drills etc.
• Noise level in commercial buildings: Acceptable noise
levels in the commercial buildings are divided in to two
types such as acceptable noise level for offices and shops.
• The acceptable noise level is depending up on many
reasons such as data processing machines, size of space,
type of activities etc. The recommended noise levels for
offices are as follows;
• Large offices ---------------------- 25 to 35dB
• Medium offices ------------------ 40 to 45dB

• Drafting and typing offices ---- 55 to 60dB

• For shops --------------------------50 to 60dB

• Noise Level in Educational Buildings: In this building type some areas are
noise sensitive and some areas are noise producers according to type of
educational building. In primary and secondary schools the most
sensitive areas. The recommended noise levels for different activities in
educational building are given below;

• For classrooms, study room and libraries -- 25 to 30dB.

• Gymnasia, cafeteria, music -------------------50dB

• Auditorium more then -------------------------80dB

• Noise level in health buildings: In these buildings it
need quite conditions. Sick people often need to sleep
during the day as well as at night. It is necessary to
provide high degree of sound insulation between wards
and internal and internal noise sources. The acceptable
noise level in entire health building is 35dB.
• Noise level in religious buildings: It is better to isolate the
congregation form the outside world due to use of high amplification
systems. Noise level in these buildings mostly depends up on type of
religious.

• For churches and cathedrals --------------------35dB

• For small churches where amplification is not used -----25 to 30dB

• For large church or hall ---------------------------80dB

• Noise level in recreational buildings: Recreational
buildings are divided in to two types; theater & concert halls,
hotels, clubs and restaurants. In theaters or concert halls it is
desirable to isolate the audience form the external environment
and any external noise not perceived inside the auditorium and
this is depends on external noise level, sound insulation between
the noise and auditorium.
 Acceptable noise level for different buildings given below;

When the noise level is more then acceptable level it cusses

result in uncomfortable living condition, inefficiency and mental
strain, deafness, nervous breakdown.
 Effect of noise: The following are the effects of noise.
1. Noise can create uncomfortable living conditions.

2. The prolonged or continued noise can create temporary deafness or nervous

breakdown.

3. Noise has an influence on blood pressure, on muscular strain and even on sleep.

4. Noise can decrease the efficiency of person.

5. Noise can create tiredness.

6. Noise can decrease the quality of speech, music etc.

7. Noise can disturb the person concentration.

Noise in Building: From the origin point, noise in the building is divided in to
two types;

• Air-Born Noise: This noise created by large source of outside like automobile
traffic on the road, street, railways, aero planes, loud-speakers, moving machines
etc. near by building.

• Air born noise is the out-door noise and it travel from one part of the building
to the other part or from out-side to in-side through openings of doors,
windows, key holes or forced vibrations set up in walls, roof etc.
Remedies: Out-door noise can be reduced by proper
selection of site, orientation of building, avoiding direct
openings to noise direction, provision of noise proof
structural skeleton (with sound reflectors & absorbers) ,
provision of structural barriers and cuttings (like huge
compound walls), planting of trees and shrubs in
between building and noise source etc.
• Structural-Born Noise: Indoor noise due to moving people, crying babies,
playing of radios, banging of doors, traffic on stairs, movement of furniture,
operation of cisterns and water closets, banging of doors etc.

• Structural born noise is indoor noise and this is caused by structural vibrations
due to impact.

• The common source of this noise is like foot steps, movement of furniture,
drooping of utensils on floor, hammering on walls and floor, drilling on walls,
floors, ceiling, refrigerators, lifts, fans etc.
Remedies: Structural born noise can be reduced by the following
methods;

1. Town planning: The vibrations from external sources like cars, traffic,
railways, factories etc. create structural born sound. The effective
method for reducing such type of structural-born sound is by
application of rational town planning system like zoning.

2. Discontinuous construction: In this method to discontinuous the

construction between the different structural parts of the building by using
of different cavity and composite construction system.
Cavity wall construction is the ideal construction for sound

insulation. In this cavity construction the gap between the two

walls leafs may left air-filled or filled with resilient (elastic)

material like quilt (layers of fabric). The two face of the wall may

be fixed with sound insulating boards. The width of the cavity

should be at least 5cm. See the details of cavity wall given bellow.
3. Treatment of floors and ceilings: The floors and ceiling treated with acoustical
material. The floating floor and suspended can help in reducing structural born-sounds as
follows;
• Concrete floor floating construction: In this type of construction, an additional floor is
constructed from the existing concrete floor. The additional floor may construct with
resilient material like quilted mineral or glass wool is laid over the R.C.C. floor/roof.
A water proof paper is then laid over resilient material. Then 5cm thick concrete screed is
laid, over that floor finishing may apply. This type of construction provides good
insulation again structural born sound. See the different concrete floating floor
construction given below.
Timber floating floor construction: In case of the wooden flooring
construction, the sound insulation becomes more difficult. In this case
new layer of resilient materials provided over the existing wooden floor
by different methods given below and over the resilient material floor
finishing or floor cover may provide. For achieving better sound
insulation pugging (soundproofing) or deadening materials should be
provide in between the joists air-space or either sound absorbent type
materials like mineral wool or other materials like sand or ashes may be
used.
• Floors with suspended ceiling & air-gap: this type of construction helps to

improve the sound insulation for air-born and structural borne sounds by

construction of false ceiling below the structural floor for attenuating (reduce)

and isolating sound from below room. The type of false ceiling applicable

depends up on type of structural floor/roof. Highest sound insulation could be

achieved by using very heavy ceiling with sound absorbing materials. See the

different false ceilings given below for timber and R.C.C. floors/roofs.
4. Insulation of machinery: The mechanical equipment's in the
building such as refrigerators, lifts, fans etc. create vibrations in
the structure. This structural born-borne sound reduced, if They

insulated properly by rubber, cork and metal springs etc.

5. Vibration isolations: If the mechanical equipment's are
moulded on floors or walls causes structural-born sound waves
by vibrating machines. These vibrations can be isolated by
inserting resilient element like steel springs in between the
floors/walls.
 Acoustical Materials
These are also called as sound absorbents and these can be
preventions of sound reflections. Most of the common building
materials absorb sound to a small extent. For better acoustical
requirements some other materials are to be incorporated on the
surface of the existing building materials in the room. Such materials
called as sound absorbents or acoustical materials and these
materials can help in making the room acoustically good. Important
connections in selection of acoustical materials.
• An ideal sound absorbing material should be economical in construction,

maintenance, waterproof, fire-proof, strong and better appearance.

• The sound absorbing material should be reducing the noise level in side the room.

• In the building treated with acoustical materials, the speech or the music can be

heard clearly and the audience can be fully enjoyed.

• All the absorbing materials are to be soft and porous and they should be work on the

principal of convert the sound waves convert in to other form of energy by friction.

• The absorbing capacity of the acoustical materials depends on the thickness and

density of material, frequency of sound.

• There is no royal road for making a particular room acoustically good
and it mainly depend on idea of architect, engineer. So the architect or
engineer should specify the suitable acoustical materials. At the same
time he should maintain the appearance of the room.

• It should be remember in case of big halls, the audiences are the major
absorbing factors. So the architect or engineer provides low-frequency
sound absorbing material to achieve optimum reverberation time over a
wide range of frequency of sound.
The below tables showing the sound absorbing coefficients for building materials & furnishings.
2:1. Classification of Acoustical Materials: The sound absorbents
or acoustical materials are broadly classified in to the followings;

• Porous absorbents: Porous absorbents are soft materials and

these having large porous with interconnected channels. When
sound waves strike such surfaces, then these materials can absorb
the sound at high frequency. The porous absorbents are rock
wool, glass wool, wood wool, foamed plastics, asbestos fibre, spry
felt, curtains and other soft furnishings.
Resonant panel absorbents: These are semi-hard
materials in the form of porous fiberboards. These
panels can fix on sound framing where it needs with a
air gape between the tow panels. These panels are used
for low frequency ranging from 50 c/s to 200 c/s.
• Cavity resonators: These cavity resonators consist of a chamber with small

openings and these open chambers can absorb the sound when the sound

waves strike on such surfaces. These panels are suitable for any type of sound

frequency.

• Sound-absorbing mortar: This mortar is prepared with Portland, slag cement,

lime or gypsum as binding material with sand of 3.5mm like light rock powder

(pumice) or cinders (ashes). This mortar is used for sound absorbing plastering

to reduce the noise level.

• Composite absorbents: These are the combination of porous,

resonant panels and cavity resonant. These absorbents are

consists of perforated (holes) panels fixed over an air space

containing porous absorbents and the percentage of perforates

should be 10% of the total panel area. Composite absorbents can

absorb sound at high frequency.

• Acoustical plaster: this is also called as fibrous plaster.

It is made with granulated (like small grains) insulating

materials mixed with cement. If the quantity of cement

is more, then the plaster will not have sufficient porous.

If the quantity of cement is less, then the plaster will not

have
enough strength. For thickness of 20mm acoustical plaster have
the sound absorption coefficient of 0.3 at 500 c/s. Now a days
acoustical plaster boards are available. They can be fixed on the
wall and their coefficient of absorptio0n various from 0.15 to
0.30.

• Acoustical tiles: These are made in factory with different trade

names. These tiles can fix on the wall or floor easily.
• Strawboard: These are made with straw pulps (soft dried grass)
like strawboards. These boards can be fixed on walls, ceilings etc.
the sound absorption coefficient depend up on the thickness of
board. With a thickness of 13mm board has sound absorption
coefficient is 0.3 at 500 c/s.

• Pulp board: These are made with from compressed pulp of soft
materials like boards. These boards can be fixed by ordinary
paneling. The average value of coefficient of absorption is 0.17.
• Compressed fibreboard: These boards may be perforated (with
holes) or unperforated. The average value of coefficient of
absorption is 0.52 with a density of 3KN/m3.

• Compressed wood particle board: These materials provided with

perforations (holes) and it can be painted also. These boards are
available with a thickness of 13mm and the average coefficient of
sound absorption is 0.40.
• Perforated plywood: This can be made with composite panels

mineral wool (lightweight fibrous material made from slag or

glass) and cement asbestos or with mineral wool and hardboard.

The average value of coefficient of sound absorption is 0.95. This

material generally used for suspended from the trusses.

• Wood wool board: These boards are generally available with a
thickness of 25mm with a density of 4KN/m3. The average value of
coefficient of sound absorption is 0.20.

• Quilt & Mats: These are made from mineral wool or glass wool in
the form of blankets. The sound absorption coefficients of these
materials depend up on the thickness, density, perforation, nature
of backing and sound frequency.
Requirements of good acoustical materials: The following are the requirements of good
acoustical materials;
1. The selected acoustical materials should be durable and it should not be attacked by
insects, termites etc.
2. The acoustical material should be easily available at reasonable cost.
3. It should be effective over a wide range of frequencies.
4. It should be water-proof, fire-proof, strong and better appearance.
5. It should be easy to fixing.
6. It should have high coefficient of absorption.
7. It should be durable and sufficient structural strength.
 Sound Insulation
Sound insulation is the reduction of sound level when it passes through a
building component. Sound insulation is also called as sound proofing. Now a
day, the architect or engineer to give attention sound insulation of building due
to the increase in population density, change in habits of community, changes in
the building construction etc. the flat-dwelling (multi-stored buildings) is the
outstanding requiring serious attention to sound insulation. Porous materials
are poor sound insulators and hard materials are good sound insulators.
Sound Insulating Materials: Sound insulating materials are
divided in the followings;

• The non-porous, homogeneous rigid sound insulating materials

are solid stone, brick and concrete masonry with plaster on one
side or both sides. The sound insulating character of such
materials mostly depending up on weight per m2 wall area (kg).
The table showing the sound insulation for different weight per m2 wall areas;
• The porous rigid materials sound insulating materials are porous concrete
masonry, cinder concrete etc. These materials have 10% higher sound
insulation than the non-porous variety of the same weight because of their
sound absorptive properties.

• Non-rigid or flexible porous materials are felt (it is made with wool or
animal hair or synthetic fibres), mineral wool and quilt (2 cover of cloth).
These materials can provide less sound insulation compared to rigid
materials. If this material can mix with porous absorber like a composite
construction, it can improve the better insulation per unit weight.
Method of Sound Insulation: The method of sound or noise
insulation will depend on type of noise to be treated and the
degree of sound insulation is required. Generally method of
sound insulation divided in to the followings;
A. Sound Insulation in Vertical Barriers: All walls and partitions
come under these vertical barriers. Wall constructions, used for
sound insulations may be three types;
• A rigid wall consists of stone, brick and concrete masonry
constructions with well plastered on one or both sides.
The sound insulation offered by these rigid walls depends
upon their weight per unit area. The sound insulation can
be increase in the thickness of wall.
For example one-brick wall (un-plastered) can reduce sound insulation about
50 dB, one-half brick wall can offer sound insulation about 53 dB, half-brick
wall with 13mm plaster on both sides can offer sound insulation about 45
db. The below table show the sound insulation values of different types of
walls.
• Partition walls of porous materials: If the walls are constructed with
porous materials like felt, mineral wool etc. can offer low sound
insulation. For improving of better sound insulation then the porous
materials can be mixed with rigid materials.
• Double wall partitions: a double wall partition consists of plaster
boards or fibre boards or plaster on laths on both faces, with sound
absorbing blankets in between. Staggered (zigzag) wooden studs are
provided as supports.
• Cavity wall construction: This is the ideal construction for sound
insulation. In this cavity construction the gap between the two walls leafs
may left air-filled or filled with resilient (elastic) material like quilt (layers
of fabric). The two face of the wall may be fixed with sound insulating
boards. The width of the cavity should be at least 5cm. See the details of
cavity wall given bellow.
B. Sound Insulation in Horizontal Barriers: Insulation of floors
and ceilings act as horizontal barriers for air- born as well as
impact sounds or hitting sound. Normally rigid construction
materials like stones, R.C.C. used for floors and ceilings and this
type of construction offer excellent insulation against air-born
noise, but not for impact noise. For achieving better sound
insulation the following construction features should be apply
in horizontal barriers.
• Use of resilient surface materials on floors: This consists
of providing thin concrete screed as the R.C.C. floor slab
and then providing a cover of resilient (elastic) material
like linoleum, insulated board, cork, asphalt mastic, carpet
etc. this can offer better sound insulation against impact
noise, but not for air-born noise.
• Concrete floor floating construction: In this type of construction, an
additional floor is constructed form the existing concrete floor. The
additional floor may construct with resilient material like quilted
mineral or glass wool is laid over the R.C.C. floor/roof. A water proof
paper is then laid over resilient material. Then 5cm thick concrete
screed is laid, over that floor finishing may apply. This type of
construction provides good insulation against impact sounds. See the
different concrete floating floor construction given below.
• Timber floating floor construction: In case of the wooden flooring
construction, the sound insulation becomes more difficult. In this case new layer
of resilient materials provided over the existing wooden floor by different
methods given below and over the resilient material floor finishing or floor
cover may provide. For achieving better sound insulation pugging
(soundproofing) or deadening materials should be provide in between the joists
air-space or either sound absorbent type materials like mineral wool or other
materials like sand or ashes may be used.
• Floors with suspended ceiling & air-gap: this type of construction
helps to improve the sound insulation for air-born and structural
borne sounds by construction of false ceiling below the structural
floor for attenuating (reduce) and isolating sound from below room.
The type of false ceiling applicable depends up on type of structural
floor/roof. Highest sound insulation could be achieved by using very
heavy ceiling with sound absorbing materials. See the different false
ceilings given below for timber and R.C.C. floors/roofs.
ROOM ACOUSTICS