Noise control

Sound components
ƒ reflected (reverberated) ρ
ƒ absorbed α
ƒ transmitted τ
Incident
Transmission loss TL sound

TL = 10 Log(1/τ) = -10 Log τ

Transmitted
sound
Absorbed
Reverberated
sound
sound
 Noise control
Mass law (Berger’s law)
ƒ theory: doubling of surface density ρS [kg/m2] → - 6 dB
i.e. TL ∝ 20 Log ρS
ƒ practice: - 5 dB
i.e. TL ∝ 17 Log ρS 70

Attenuation [dB] .
60

50
40
565 Hz Theor.
30 565 Hz Exp.
20
10 100 1000
Surface density [kg/m²]
 Noise control
Mass law (Berger’s law)
Frequency law
ƒ doubling of frequency f [Hz] → - 6 dB
i.e. TL ∝ 20 Log f 100
90 1000
500
80 200
Attenuation [dB]

70 100
50
60 20
50 10
40 ρs [kg/m²]
30
20
10

TL ≈ 20 Log (0.08 f ρS)

0
100 1000 10000
Frequency [Hz]
 Noise control
For low and high frequencies:
ƒ resonance
e
enc
ƒ coincidence i d

Sound reduction index : dB

n c
Coi region
aw
a ss l n
M gio
re
ce
s o nan
Re egion
r

100 Hz 1000 Hz 10 kHz

Images by MIT OCW.

Resonance Effect in a Panel Coincidence Effect in a Panel

 Noise control
Sound paths
1 - direct air transmission
2 - reverberation
3 - lateral transmission of airborne sound
4 - re-emission of impact sound
B
5 - transmission "
5
Weakest path 4
5

5
1 2 1
A

2
3

1
 Noise control
Sound paths
⎡ S' ⎛ ΔTL ⎞⎤
Weakest path TL = TL 0 − 10 log⎢1+ ⎜⎜10 10 − 1⎟⎟⎥
⎢⎣ S ⎝ ⎠⎥⎦
S 70
TL0 Δ TL [dB]
60 60
Loss of insulation [dB]

S' 50 50
TL'=TL0 -ΔTL
40 40
30 30
20 20
10 10
0
0.001 0.01 0.1 1 S'/S
 Noise control
Planning phase
ƒ sensitivity to noise
ƒ noise sources
ƒ noise insulation requirements
Design phase
ƒ acoustic criteria in positioning and orientation
ƒ calm vs. noisy zones
ƒ construction elements
ƒ technical installations

→ e.g. cavities in walls, no connection between window layers

 Noise control
Environmental noise
 Noise control
35
θ
Environmental noise 30 90°

Attenuation [dB] .
ƒ Anti-noise barriers 25 30°
10°
­ of "infinite" length 20
5°
15
1°
10
0°
5
0
θ 0.1 1 10 h/ λ 100

h
 Noise control
Environmental noise
ƒ Anti-noise barriers
­ of "infinite" length
­ of finite length L
25 25

Attenuation if L infinite .
20 20
Attenuation [dB]

15 15
L
10 10
d
5 5

0 0
0.1 1 10 100 L/d 1000
 Noise control
Environmental noise
ƒ Anti-noise barriers
ƒ Acoustic urbanism

Pesay
Decibels
>70
65-70
60-65
55-60
<55
 Noise control
Environmental noise 69 db

ƒ Anti-noise barriers
74 db
ƒ Acoustic urbanism

69 db

72 db 78 db

66 db
50 db
 Noise control
Environmental noise Noise source
A
Requisite noise barrier Activity or situation

Noisy factory
C

ƒ Anti-noise barriers Very loud radio B

Threshold of audibility

ƒ Acoustic urbanism
Average workshop
Lorry passing at 5 m Recording studio

Noisy restaurant or dance floor

Hospital ward, sleeping
75 Special discontinuous construction 980
Average light factory
300 mm concrete rendered Studying
80 730
Office: typewriters Reading
70 240 mm brick or 150 mm concrete 500
85
68 db(A) 120 mm brick or 100 mm concrete 250
Living room, loud radio Double 3 mm glass, 100 mm space
Quiet car passing at 5 m 140 mm hollow block 150
75 mm solid gypsum panel Houses
100
75 Conversation Timber studs, 10 mm plasterboards
Flats
Timber floor plaster ceiling 50
80 70 Single 6 mm plate glass
Moderate radio 25
85 68 db(A) 120 mm lightweight concrete block Hotels

Single 3 mm glass 10
Average office Quiet office

13 mm fibreboard 2.5 Quiet restaurant

Average home
Badly fitting door
Quiet garden
75
80
85 Average office
70 Subdued radio
68 db(A) Open door or window 0

Kg/m2

Image by MIT OCW. Image by MIT OCW.

 Noise control
Structure-borne noise
 Noise control
Structure-borne noise
 Noise control
Structure-borne noise
 Noise control
Structure-borne noise
 Noise control
Structure-borne noise
 Noise control
Structure-borne noise

Floating floor
Flexible (soft) layer
 Noise control
Sound source in room
Source Direct sound

Reverberant sound: Sum of an infinite number of paths

S
90 dB

80

Total sound level

Image by MIT OCW. Direct component
70
Reverberant component

60

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24
Distance from source (m)

Image by MIT OCW.

 Noise control
Sound source in room
ƒ Iabs = Iinc · αs
ƒ Pabs = I⊥ · A = I⊥ · αs · S
Source Direct sound

ƒ I⊥ = ¼ Istat Reverberant sound: Sum of an infinite number of paths

ƒ Lstat = 10 Log Istat/Io 90 dB

= 10 Log (4P/(Io A)) 80

Total sound level

Direct component
70
Reverberant component

60

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24
Distance from source (m)

Image by MIT OCW.

 Noise control
Sound absorbers
ƒ Porous
1.00

0.75
(a)
0.50
Absorption coefficient

0.25

0
10 100 1k 10kHz

1.00

0.75

(b) 0.50

0.25

0
10 100 1k 10kHz

Image by MIT OCW.

 Noise control
Sound absorbers
ƒ Porous
ƒ Membrane
1.00

0.75

0.50
Two layers of
Absorption coefficient

bitumenous felt
0.25

0
10 100 1k 10 kHz

1.00

0.75
10 mm plywood
0.50

0.25

0
10 100 1k 10 kHz

Image by MIT OCW.

 Noise control
Sound absorbers
ƒ Porous
ƒ Membrane
ƒ Cavity resonators

I
Absorption coefficient

1.00

0.75

0.50
V 2r

0.25

0
10 100 1k 10 kHz

Image by MIT OCW.

 Noise control
Sound absorbers
ƒ Porous
ƒ Membrane
ƒ Cavity resonators Absorption coefficient
100%

80%

60% Porous
Membrane
40% Cavity

20%

0%
125 250 500 1 000 2 000 4 000
Frequency [Hz]
 Noise control
Sound absorbers
ƒ Porous
ƒ Membrane
ƒ Cavity resonators +
ƒ Perforated panels

1.00
Absorption coefficient

0.75 With porous +

0.50 Without porous

0.25

0
10 100 1k 10 kHz

Image by MIT OCW.

 Noise control
Absorbent baffles (a) (b)

Sound Minimum 1 m
partially
absorbed

Bathroom

Ventilation duct
Sound flat 1 Bathroom
transmitted
fully flat 2

Absorber

(c) (d)
Sixth floor
Ceiling
Sound
almost Absorbent
completely Absorbent lining

ise
absorbed Fifth floor

no
eet
Str
Sound
partially
absorbed

Section
Absorber
Plan

Image by MIT OCW. Image by MIT OCW.

 Noise Control
Reading assignment from Textbook:
ƒ “Introduction to Architectural Science” by Szokolay: § 3.3

Additional readings relevant to lecture topics:

ƒ "How Buildings Work" by Allen: p. 132 in Chap 14