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A Case Study for MECE 3210

Acoustical and Vibration Transmission into a Manufacturer’s

Testing Facility

Instructor: Prof. Atef Mohany

Boluwatife Owoyeye 100590550

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Table of contents

Executive Summary …………………………………………………………………………………… 3

Theoretical Background ……………………………………………………………………………. 4

Conclusions and recommendations …………………………………………………………… 10

References and appendices ………………………………………………………………………. 10

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Executive summary

“Clienteen” is a designer and manufacturer of air duct silencers for Heating, Ventilation and Air

Conditioning (HVAC) systems. Such silencers are used to filtering the noise generated in the

HVAC units and prevent it from propagating downstream, while allows for air to flow through

them. The company built a new testing setup within its manufacturing facility to accurately

measure the sound pressure levels and performance of the silencer. The performance of the

produced silencer is already known as it was previously tested in an accredited laboratory.

However, when assessing the silencer performance again in the testing facility of the company,

the measurements show significantly less performance of the same silencer in the low

frequency range between 30 and 125 Hz. The measured transmission loss of the silencer in the

Clienteen’s facility was less than what was measured in the laboratory. This discrepancy in the

performance’s measurement of the same silencer indicated to the company that there is a

serious sound leakage problem into the reverberation room where the downstream

measurements are taken. This leakage occurs at frequency range between 30 and 125 Hz. As an

engineer, I am required to find out the cause of the sound leakage into the reverberation room

and the best way to eliminate it.

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Theoretical Background

Natural Frequency and Resonance

The natural frequency is the frequency at which an object will remain vibrating after hitting it.

All objects and mechanical systems have a natural frequency. They may even have many

natural frequencies depending on their geometry.

Transverse natural frequencies of a beam around axes x-x or y-y:

2
nπ E I x∨ y
ωn, i x or y= ( )√
l Aρ
rad/s 𝑛=1,2 ,3...

A formula for approximate natural frequencies ωi,j of a plate is derived by Rayleigh’s energy

technique and is given as:

G1 4 G2 4 2 J 1 J 2 +2 ν (H 1 H 2−J 1 J 2)
ωi, j =
√(( a )( )
+
b
+
a2 b2
π 4 E t 2 rad/s
)
12(1−ν 2 ) ρ

The dimensionless factors 𝐺1,𝐺2,𝐽1,𝐽2 and 𝐻1 𝐻2 depends on the mode number (i,j) and the

geometrical constrains at the boundary.

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Where 𝑙 is the span length, 𝐴 the cross-sectional area, ρ the material density, 𝐸 is Young’s

modulus of elasticity, 𝜈 is Poisson’s ratio, 𝑡 is the material thickness, and 𝐼 is the area moment

of inertia.

Resonance is a phenomenon that amplifies a vibration. It occurs when a vibration is transmitted

to another object whose natural frequency is equal or very close to that of the source.

Noise Transmission

When a sound wave impacts upon the surface of a solid body, some portion of its energy will be

reflected, some absorbed, and the rest transmitted through the body. The relative proportion

of each depends on the nature of the material impacted.

Transmission Loss

The term Transmission Loss (TL), or more commonly Sound Reduction Index (SRI) are used to

describe the reduction in sound level resulting from transmission through a material.

The Mass Law

Obviously, the greater the mass of the wall, the greater the sound energy required to set it in

motion. The mass law states that every doubling of the mass of a partition will result in a 6 dB

reduction in the level of sound transmitted through it.

Resonance and Coincidence effects

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The mass law applies strictly to limp, non-rigid partitions. However, most materials used in

buildings possess some rigidity or stiffness. This means that other factors must really be

considered, and that the mass law should only be taken as an approximate guide to the amount

of attenuation obtainable.

Sound attenuation in ordinary building materials is the result of an interplay between mass,

stiffness and damping. In addition, the mass law is affected by resonance at lower frequencies

and coincidence at higher frequencies

Stiffness Controlled Region

At low frequencies (for most building materials below 10-20Hz), transmission depends mainly

on the stiffness of the wall, with damping and mass having little effect. The effectiveness of
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stiffness in the attenuation of sound transmission decreases by 6dB for every doubling of

frequency (one octave).

Resonant Frequencies

At slightly higher frequencies the resonance of the wall begins to control its transmission

behaviour. Because every panel has a finite boundary and edge fixings, it will have a series of

natural frequencies at which it will vibrate more easily than others. These are called resonant

frequencies and consist of a fundamental frequency (having the greatest effect), and integer

multiples of this fundamental called harmonics (having less and less effect).

Mass Controlled Region

At frequencies well above that of the lowest resonant frequency, the wall tends to behave as an

assembly of much smaller masses and is then said to be mass controlled. It is within this range

that the mass law directly applies

To determine the causes of the sound leakage, the microphone and accelerometers should be

used in the air duct, supporting beams and walls of the acoustics and reverberation room,

respectively. I have calculated the natural frequencies of the air duct, supporting beams and

walls of the reverberation room with the equations stated above.

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Based on the values and dimensions provided as well as know mechanical properties of certain

materials used in the construction of the structures; for the I beam; the following natural

frequencies were obtained with further dimensions obtained from the American Standard

beam’s tables.

ω1 (rad/s) ω2(rad/s) ω3(rad/s)

Ix 107.43 429.75 966.94
Iy 27.69 110.78 249.25

ω1 (rad/s) ω2(rad/s) ω3(rad/s)

Ix 41.47 165.86 373.2
Iy 27.63 110.51 248.64

For the North, East and West walls of the reverberation room, assuming boundary conditions

were clamped-clamped, the following natural frequencies were obtained

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ωj ωi 1 2 3
1 25.62 rad/s 52.28 rad/s 93.93 rad/s
2 52.28 rad/s 77.13 rad/s 117.6 rad/s
3 93.93 rad/s 117.60 rad/s 156.61 rad/s

For the floor of the reverberation room, assuming clamped-clamped boundary conditions, the

following natural frequencies were obtained:

ωj ωi 1 2 3
1 155.9 rad/s 318.19 rad/s 571.66 rad/s
2 318.19 rad/s 469.42 rad/s 715.70 rad/s
3 571.66 rad/s 715.70 rad/s 953.08 rad/s

Finally, for the roof of the reverberation room, assuming clamped-simply supported boundary

conditions, the following natural frequencies were obtained:

ωj ωi 1 2 3
1 66.28 rad/s 211.64 rad/s 72.14 rad/s
2 211.64 rad/s 216.24 rad/s 444.63 rad/s
3 72.14 rad/s 444.63 rad/s 452.46 rad/s
Conclusions and recommendations

Because the sound leakage is observed at lower frequencies and the natural frequencies of the

floor of reverberation room fall well in between that range 30 Hz to 125 Hz (188 rad/s to

785rad/sec), I would conclude a resonance issue is the cause of the sound leak. The vibrations

from the acoustic room are matching the natural frequencies of the walls, especially the floor

and amplifying the sound. The goal would be to either increase or reduce the natural

frequencies way beyond any expected vibrations. There are a couple ways to achieve this;

adding stiffness which will increase the natural frequency or adding mass, which will decrease
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the natural frequency. Other solutions can include moving the silencer inside the duct closer or

further away from the reverberation room and adding damping (i.e., thicker steel sheeting).

References

Erbessd, Thierry. “Resonance & Natural Frequency: CBM CONNECT.” CBM CONNECT®, 16

Sept. 2020, www.cbmconnect.com/resonance-natural-frequency/.

Yan, Albert. Noise Transmission . www.sekon.cc/acoustics/SoundTransmission/index.htm.