18.1.

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TEACHING PLAN

Unit I: Acoustics- 1

1.4 Generation and propagation of sound, properties of sound, human hearing ranges

1.5 Planning and design to control outdoor noise and indoor noise

1.6 Materials and construction for acoustical treatment, NRC and STC ratings

Unit II: Acoustics -2

2.1 Parameters for good acoustical conditions

2.2 Air and structure borne noise control

Unit III: Acoustics- 3

2.5 Reverberation time calculation and recommendation for acoustical treatment

2.6 Sound amplification systems

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Planning and design to control outdoor noise and indoor noise.

Noise is either generated by traffic (road, air, and surface and underground
railway) or it arises from zones and buildings within built-up areas (industry,

Commerce, offices and public buildings), and from public gatherings and social
activities.

The noise survey should examine all the possible causes of noise and consider
the various factors causing actual nuisance.

There are two aspects of design of planning.

The first is to plan so as to keep the noise at a distance.

Under this aspect comes the separation of housing from traffic noise by
interposing buffer zones, and the protection of schools and hospitals by green
belts, public gardens etc.
The second is the principle of shading or screening.

This consists of deliberately creating screening.

(NBC: PART 8 BUILDING SERVICES SECTION 4 ACOUSTICS, SOUND INSULATION

AND NOISE CONTROL 9)

Interposing a less vulnerable building to screen a more vulnerable one or by

providing a solid barrier, such as a wall, between the source and the location to
be protected.

Acceptable Indoor Noise Levels in Buildings

The generally acceptable noise levels inside buildings are given in Table 4.

Table 4 Acceptable Indoor Noise Levels for Various Buildings (Clause 4.1)

S No Location Noise Level No. dBA

i) Auditoria and concert halls 20-25

ii) Radio and TV studios 20-25
iii) Cinemas 25-30

iv) Music rooms 25-30

v) Hospitals 35-40
vi) Apartments, hotels and homes 35-40
vii) Conference rooms, small offices and libraries 35-40
viii) Court rooms and class rooms 40-45
ix) Large public offices, banks and stores 45-50
x) Restaurants 50-55

2. Indoor Noises

As far as indoor noises are concerned, conversation of the occupants, footsteps,

banging of doors, shifting of the furniture, operation of the cistern and water
closet, playing of radio, television, music system, cooling and ventilation
machinery etc.
Contribute most of the noise emanating from an adjacent room or an adjacent
building. Noise conditions vary from time to time and noise which may not be

Objectionable during the day may assume annoying proportions in the silence
of the night when quiet conditions are essential.

In the case of flats the main sources of noise are from other flats and from
stairs, lifts and access balconies. Plumbing noise is another cause. In
semidetached buildings, outdoor noises from streets are noticed more than
indoor noises from neighbors.

A proper architectural design helps in noise control in buildings to a great extent.

It helps in minimizing many costly techniques of noise control in buildings. The
arrangement of elements like window placing, door, the position of the bedroom,
balcony, courtyard by proper acoustical planning help in reduction of unwanted
noise within the building.

Noise in the building can be control by following methods

Room arrangement

Use of solid walls

Planning for single story houses

Proper arrangement of balconies

Having courtyards

Room Arrangement in Buildings for Noise Control

Considering the rooms in a building based on sensitivity, we can divide into less
sensitive rooms and more sensitive room. Now less sensitive rooms are the
kitchen, bathroom etc. More sensitive rooms are bedrooms, living rooms. The
arrangement of rooms must be made in such a way that more sensitive rooms are
away from the noise and the less sensitive rooms are toward or closer to the
noise source. The arrangement of rooms for noise control is shown in figure-1.
This planning was applied widely over a 100-acre land which comprises of
residential buildings. The building was near to a planned expressway. As per the
concept of arrangement the kitchens and bathrooms were placed near to the
expressway and the bedrooms, living rooms where keep way from it. Thus, more
sensitive rooms get a shielding effect.

Room Arrangement in Buildings for Noise Control

Fig.1: Room Arrangement in Buildings for Noise Control through Architectural

Acoustic Design

Use of Solid Walls in Buildings for Noise Control

The use of solid walls means, to use a wall with fewer openings. Mostly walls used
in building construction are masonry. When it comes to high-rise, concrete walls
are used. Whatever be the material chosen, both behave massive and resist noise in
a very efficient manner. Now having an opening in walls will reduce its efficiency
in noise control. The openings in the forms of windows or doors that are facing
directly towards the noise, would welcome noise into the building. The efficiency
of walls can be explained in figure-2. Here the wall barrier between the building
and the noise is not at an adequate height, but the lower floors must feel
comfortable with less noise. This is possible because the barrier has no opening. To
have the complete role of a barrier, opening in walls facing the direct noise must be
planned accordingly and if possible, eliminated. In a case where elimination is not
possible, reduction in the size of openings is recommended.

Fig.2: Use of Solid Walls in Buildings for Noise Control

Planning for Single Story Houses

This is an architectural planning step taken before planning the design of the
building. For example, consider that we have a land where the construction has to
be conducted, but we have a noise source at a particular distance from the site. The
plan is to construct a two-story building. We also have a barrier in between the site
and the noise source. The situation is that the reduction of noise from the source is
efficient only when the building is a single story as shown in figure-3. When a
more story building is planned the barrier, height will be insufficient. Under such
situation, it is always recommended to compromise with the plan and go for an
economical and quality construction. Another option is to adopt a split-level design
for the building, that would meet all the requirements.
 Fig.3: Use of Single Story Houses to Reduce Noise Impacts
Proper Arrangement of Balconies for Noise Control
Balconies provide access to the external environment as well as ventilation in the
form of light and air. But the improper arrangement of balconies would give
complete discomfort, hiding all its advantages through noise. Balconies have
higher exposure to outside environment. If the building is faced towards a highly
traffic prone area, with balcony facing the same side, it would promote the
intensity of noise entering the building, as shown in figure 4.

Fig.4: Balcony Facing

the Road attracts Noise into the Building
The problem is mainly seen in highly populated cities, where high rise building
facing the highway is constructed. In such cases, measures to reduce direct impact
of noise must be carried out. Balconies can be placed in a shielded area than direct
open area.

Having Courtyards for Noise Control

Having courtyards helps in reduction noise control in buildings. This can be an
added measure of noise reduction in architectural planning and design. The Proper
architectural design may also provide for noise reduction in an area outside of the
building. They provide an acoustical privacy. A shielding effect is provided by
these courtyards. It is constructed in residences, schools, hospitals, colleges etc..

Fig.5: Courtyards for Noise

Control in Buildings
Read More:  How to Plan for Better Acoustic Control in Building? Acoustic
Properties of Building Materials Construction Techniques for Noise Control
in Building

Materials and construction for acoustical treatment, NRC and STC ratings

A Noise Reduction Coefficient – commonly known as NRC – is a single number

rating which represents the average of sound Absorption Coefficients of a
material at specific mid-range frequencies (tested at 250, 500, 1,000, and 2,000
Hz octaves). The purpose of an NRC rating is to provide a simpler way to
determine how well an acoustical product absorbs mid-range sound (generally
thought of as the range of speech frequencies). NRC ratings vary from product to
product and are affected by the type of absorbent material, its thickness, its
density, and its mounting method.

By definition, the NRC rating is a mathematical coefficient and should range only
from 0.0 to 1.0. A 0.0 rating might represent something like a smooth-finish
concrete wall, where sound is completely reflected off the surface. A 1.0 rating
might represent something like an open window, where all the sound passes
through the window opening and doesn’t reflect back into the space.

The NRC rating can work well for representing acoustical absorption in the mid-
range speech frequencies, but if your issue is an industrial building with machines
that make a high-pitched noise, or a club where low-frequency bass is a nightly
occurrence, then the NRC rating isn’t as helpful. As previously mentioned, it does
not tell you how well the material absorbs sound below about 200 Hz or above
about 2500 Hz.

In doing your research, you may have come across both NRC and STC ratings.
While they both have to do with the acoustical properties of a material, the NRC
Rating tells us how much sound is absorbed by a product and the STC rating tells
us how much sound is blocked from going through a product.

The STC rating, or Sound Transmission Class rating, is useful when you are
concerned with soundproofing, or how much sound enters and leaves a room. For
example, apartment buildings usually have STC rating requirements for the
structure for reducing the amount of sound that leaks out or in.

Technical terms like Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC) and Sound Transmission
Class (STC) can be somewhat confusing. While one measures the build-up of
noise within a space, the other measures the sound transmission between spaces.
It is important to understand the difference of these two ratings.

The Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC) measures the build-up of noise within a
space.
The Sound Transmission Class (STC) measures the sound transmission between
spaces.