JIREH N. GUARIN | BS ARCH 3-1 | BUILDING UTILITIES 3 | AR.

ROEL JAZMIN FIECAS | APRIL 19, 2021

ARCHITECTURAL ACOUSTICS
DEFINITION DEFINITION
Architectural acoustics This encompasses the
refers to the examination of creation and building of areas
sound's characteristics in a like performance venues,
built environment, and how music production facilities,
the layout of a space can academic auditoriums, and
influence the way sound is other places where the quality
interpreted. of sound is significant.
Source: https://tinyurl.com/yzds52wt

Architectural acoustics involves understanding the physical properties of sound waves, including how they interact
with surfaces and how they are reflected, absorbed, and transmitted through different materials. This knowledge is
used to design spaces that can enhance or minimize the acoustical properties of sound.

The speed of sound varies depending on the medium through which it

travels. Here are the approximate speeds of sound in water, concrete, wood,
and steel:
Sound is a mechanical
Water: The speed of sound in water is about 1,480 meters per second (or Sound wave is disturbance from a state of equilibrium
4,860 feet per second) at room temperature. that propagates through an elastic
the pattern of material medium.
Concrete: The speed of sound in concrete varies depending on the type and disturbance caused
density of the concrete, as well as its moisture content. On average, the by the movement of
speed of sound in concrete ranges from 3,000 to 4,500 meters per second
(or 9,840 to 14,760 feet per second). energy traveling
through a medium
Wood: The speed of sound in wood also varies depending on the type of
wood and its moisture content. On average, the speed of sound in wood (such as air, water
ranges from 3,000 to 4,500 meters per second (or 9,840 to 14,760 feet per or any other liquid
second).
or solid matter) as it
Steel: The speed of sound in steel is around 5,960 meters per second (or propagates away
19,550 feet per second). However, the exact speed can vary depending on
the type of steel and its temperature. from the source of
the sound (Zola,
2022).

Hertz (Hz)
measures
frequency in cycles
per second, and is
commonly used for
sound,
electromagnetic
and radio waves. Source: https://tinyurl.com/yc7djjw6

Source: https://tinyurl.com/2kref4uj In acoustics, fundamentals, harmonics, and band are

Wavelength and Period:
different aspects of sound waves.
The wavelength is the horizontal distance between any two successive equivalent points on the
wave. That means that the wavelength is the horizontal length of one cycle of the wave. The period
Fundamentals are the lowest frequency of a sound
of a wave is the time required for one complete cycle of the wave to pass by a point. So, the period
wave's harmonic series and determine its pitch and
is the amount of time it takes for a wave to travel a distance of one wavelength.
timbre.
Amplitude:
Harmonics are higher frequencies that give a sound its
The amplitude of a sound is represented by the height of the wave. When there is a loud sound,
character and richness.
the wave is high and the amplitude is large. Conversely, a smaller amplitude represents a softer
sound. A decibel is a scientific unit that measures the intensity of sounds. The softest sound that a
Band is a range of frequencies used to describe the
human can hear is the zero point. When the sound is twice as loud, the decibel level goes up by
frequency range of a sound wave or audio signal.
six. Humans speak normally at 60 decibels.
Amplitude: The maximum value of the wave function. The higher the amplitude, the louder the
sound.

Frequency:
Every cycle of sound has one condensation, a region of increased pressure, and one rarefaction, a
region where air pressure is slightly less than normal. The frequency of a sound wave is measured
in hertz. Hertz (Hz) indicate the number of cycles per second that pass a given location. If a
speaker's diaphragm is vibrating back and forth at a frequency of 900 Hz, then 900 condensations
are generated every second, each followed by a rarefaction, forming a sound wave whose
frequency is 900 Hz.

Source: https://tinyurl.com/2u9vtmaj
Pitch:
How the brain interprets the frequency of an emitted sound is called the pitch. We already know Doppler Effect refers to the change in wave frequency
that the number of sound waves passing a point per second is the frequency. The faster the during the relative motion between a wave source and its
vibrations the emitted sound makes (or the higher the frequency), the higher the pitch. Therefore, observer.
when the frequency is low, the sound is lower.
Source: https://tinyurl.com/5t2datut