CLASSROOM ACOUSTICS

SUBMITTED BY :
ISHAN KAKATI – 16121AA013
NIMRA UNAIZA – 16121AA028
SHREYA SRIDHAR – 16121AA037
UMAMA SAMREEN – 16121AA040
MANOJ VARMA - 16121AA022
SUSHMINA - 16121AA014
ANIL - 16121AA009
INTRODUCTION
ARCHITECTURAL ACOUSTICS :
Architectural acoustics is the science of controlling sound
inbuildings. Embraces all aspects of acoustical design for all
types ofarchitectural spaces, in order to optimize environments
for many functions,including business, recreation, learning,
worship, communication,broadcasting and entertainment.
The first application of architectural acoustics was in the design
of :
•Opera houses
•Concert halls
•Auditoriums
•Radio and television studios
•Classrooms, etc.
 INTRODUCTION
• Classroom acoustics are an important, often
neglected, aspect of the learning environment.
• Up to 60% of classroom activities involve speech
between teachers and students or between students,
indicating the importance of environments that
support clear communication
Additionally, HVAC systems have created distracting
background noise in classrooms.
• Inappropriate levels of background noise,
reverberation, and signal-to- noise ratios can also
inhibit reading and spelling ability, behavior, attention,
concentration, and academic performance.
• Good classroom acoustics are a basic classroom need,
not an accessory, to give all students access to spoken
instruction and discussion
• Acoustic problems persist in classrooms because of a
lack of acoustics education for architects and
engineers, the prohibitive expenses of acoustic
refurbishment, and because adult listeners often do
not consider the limitations of children’s hearing
abilities .
•Acoustic Accessibility
Access to spoken information in a manner which
minimizes acoustical barriers such as noise and
reverberation.
• Why is this important?
• The foundation of educational instruction is verbal
communicationNoise causes students to miss 1/3 of
spoken communication in classNoise interferes with
speech perceptionSpeech perception is necessary for
auditory learningDiscuss impact of move from didactic to
interactive teaching style as well as more kids with
special needs being educated in regular classrooms
instead of resource roomsSource:Coalition for Classroom
Acoustics
 Acoustic factors that affect speech perception and
learning in the classroom:
Background noiseSignal-to-noise ratio (SNR)Reverberation time
(RT)Talker-Listener DistanceThese four factors are the main
barriers for a student’s success in the classroom.
.
What happens to sound when it hits a
barrier?
• Transmitted (pass through)
• Absorbed
• Reflected
• Diffracted
• Acoustics and ClassroomImportance of
hearing/listening
• Approximately 45% of school time spent listening
• Approximately 30% speaking
• Approximately 16% reading
Approximately 9% writing
Elements of Listening
• Detection – Identifying the sound
• Discrimination – Differentiating between various
words
• Recognition – Catching the exact word
• Comprehension – Noting correct thing
 RoomNoise
• Acoustical noise is any unwanted sound
• Could be external or internal
• Includes whispers, shut noises, external disturbances.
• Noise is around 55-60 dB in classroom
Speaker ListenerDistance
• Audibility decreases as the distance from the speakerincreases
• About a 6dB drop for every doubling of distance
• At certain distance, background noise can mask speaker’svoice.
• A typical teacher’s voice measures 60 to 65dB at a distance
of1m/3ft.
• Noise is generally at 55-60 dB in a classroom.
• First row student gets decent sound, about 65 dB
• Forth row student get 60 dB of voice signal, same as noise
• For back-row students, teacher is at 53dB, receive 55% of
thespeech signal, and achieve just 60% word recognition
A segment of the sound wave front surface area
increasing with distance. In this angle, the same sound
energy is distributed over the spherical surfaces of
increasing areas a-s-d is increased. The intensity of the
sound is inversely proportional to the square of the
distance of the wave front from the signal source.
Example: 1d-1, 2d-4, 3d-9, 4d-16
 Many classrooms today have computers in the room
that are left on most of the time.
The CPUs frequently will have fans in them that are
quite audible.
Note where the equipment is located. Often the CPU is
located in a corner or under a desk with adjacent hard
surfaces that can reflect and amplify the sound toward
the students. Many classrooms also have TV sets, often
mounted in a corner close to walls separating
classrooms. I have seen classrooms so equipped where
the TV set in one classroom was closer to a student in
the adjacent classroom than he/was to the teacher in
that classroom.
• Reverberation
• It is the persistence of sound in a particular spaceafter the original sound is
removed.
• Large number of echoes build up and then slowlydecay as the sound is
absorbed
• Causes prolongation of sound.
• Longer the reverberation the more “smear” of speechsounds.
Reverberation Time
•Time it takes a sound to stop reflecting
•Is the time in seconds for a sound to reduce 60 dB inintensity once the
generation of sound has stopped
•Hard room -> long RT time
•RT of room alters the effect of the speaker-listenerdistance upon sound
intensity
• Classroom study of Reverberation
• Classroom CalculationsTime Difference Calculations
• Assuming the dimensions of a class room to be – 15 x 10x10 metres.
• Speed of light = 330 m/s
T1 = Time taken by sound to travel via 10m straight path
T2 = Time Take by sound to travel via 12+12m reflected path
Time = Distance /Speed
• T1 = 10/330 = 0.0303 sec
• T2 = 28/330 = 0.0727 sec
• T2 – T1 = .0424 sec 10m 12m
• Time difference of .0424sec between two soundwaves cause the confusionwhile detecting
thespeech 10m
Reverberation Time Calculations Sabine equation
• RT60 - Reverberation Time in sec
• V - Volume of Room in cubic metres
• S - Total Surface Area in square metres
• c – Speed of Light in metres
• a – Average Absorption Coefficient
• in general, for a class room, the reverberationtime must be between .4 to .6 sec
ROOM SHAPE
• The talker-to-audience distance can be
minimized by carefully considering the room
geometry.
• A rectangular shoebox-type hall, with NORMAL
SURROUND A rectangular shoebox-type hall, with
the stage across one narrow end, may be excellent
for music where an audience can be seated
farther away and a greater ratio of reverberant
sound is desirable.
• However, a rectangular geometry is only suitable
for a relatively small speech hall.
• For greater seating capacity, the side walls
should be splayed from the stage.
• Splayed side walls allow greater seating area
that is relatively close to the stage.
• The splayed walls can usefully reflect sound
energy to the rear of the hall.
 Acoustic considerations
• in a class room, it is important to ensure good speech and
listening comfort.
• the most important aspect in achieving listening comfort is
the audibility and clarity of consonants.
• this is due to the fact that comprehension of speech is
dependent on consonants.
• in addition, interfering noise must be reduced so that it does
not drown or ”mask” the relevant sound.
• speech comfort is ensured by creating a sense of reverb in
order for the rhetoric effects to be used.
• if too much sound is absorbed, the rhetoric effects of the
speech will disappear.
• if too little sound is absorbed, the noise will impede the
listening comfort. Acoustic design
• rectangular room, 50 to 70 m². ceiling height max. 3 m. •
room dimension may not be close to or exceed 1:2.
 Ceiling
Acoustic materials with sound absorbing
and diffusing properties, as well as a small
amount of reflection.
The area of the ceiling to be acoustical tile
is a function of ceiling height.
ceiling height %of acoustical tile
10feet 40-50 12feet 50-60
These numbers presume the use of Noise
Reduction Coefficient (NRC) 0.55-0.65 tile in a
ceiling suspension system.
The acoustical tile should be arranged in
the form of a ‘U’ around the perimeter of the
room , with the opening at the front and rest
of the ceiling a hard material such as gypsum
board or plaster.
 Walls
Sound absorbing materials with diffusion characteristics.
Sound Transmission Coefficient (STC) not less than 50.
Walls must extend to the floor above or to the roof construction, and
not stop at the ceiling. This will reduce noise transmission.
Higher STC ratings and special wall construction details must be
included whenever classrooms are located to ,adjacent, or below
restrooms, mechanical rooms, elevator shafts, athletic facilities , or other
sources of high noise levels or where the classroom function generates a
significant amount of noise.
Concrete masonry units may be used, but may have to be covered
with another finish in order to provide proper acoustical treatment.
Folded walls are extremely undesirable and should not be used except
under very extraordinary circumstances. It is difficult to develop a
folding-wall design that is able to maintain adequate sound separation
between classrooms.
Sound levels as generated by mechanical systems or other ambient
noise measured at all points in a classroom at 4 feet above the floor
must have a Noise Criterion (NC) rating of not more than
• Mechanical systems:
• The mechanical systems supporting
general purpose classrooms should
generate a background noise of not more
than NC 35.
• The air changes and circulation of air per
ASHRA standards is a critical factor
instructional spaces . This must be achieved
with effective control of HVAC system-
generated background noise.
• Utility Boxes:
• When classrooms share a common wall,
electrical receptacles or other utility boxes
should not be installed back-to-back with
similar receptacles in the next room.
• Off setting the boxes will reduce sound
transmission between rooms.
MATERIAL STUDY