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    Unit 5-Building Acoustics Notes

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    Unit 5-Building Acoustics Notes

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    Suhesh Shelke
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    BPD b.tech in civil engineering 2nd year

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    BPD b.tech in civil engineering 2nd year

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    9 views16 pages

    Unit 5-Building Acoustics Notes

    Uploaded by

    Suhesh Shelke
    BPD b.tech in civil engineering 2nd year

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    Ss Building acoustics Introduction Building acoustics is the science of controlling noise in buildings, This includes the minimisation of noise transmission from one space to another and the control of the characteristics of sound within spaces themselves. Building acousties are an important consideration in the design, operation and construction of most buildings, significant impact on health and wellbeing, communication and productivity. They can be particularly significant in spaces such as concert halls, recording studios, lecture theatres, and so on, where the quality of sound and its intelligibility are very important. \Béfiding acoustics can be influenced by: + The geometry and volume of a space. + The sound absorption, transmission and reflection characteristics of surfaces enclosing the space and within the space. = Thesound absorption, transmission and reflection _—_characteristics of materials separating spaces. + The generation of sound inside or outside the space. + Airbome sound transmission. + Impact noise. \characteristies of sound ‘Sound intensity is measured in Decibels (dB). This is a logarithmic scale in which an increase of 10 dB gives an apparent doubling of loudness. Sound pitch is measured in Hertz (Hz), the standard unit for the nt for frequency. ‘The audible range of sound for humans is typically from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz, although, throligh ageing and exposure to oud sounds the upper limit will generally decrease. As well as intensity and frequency, sound also transmits information. For example, music or speech, transmit information which people may perceive differently from other sounds, Reverberation time eis y 7 ——s The ‘reverberation time’ of a space chan; : The ‘reverberation time’ of iges the way the space ‘ i intelligibility acoustic information, A high fevettergieg ee ar ic fi ; ime can mak 190m sound muffled, loud and noisy, Rooms designed for speech typically have a low reverberation time, whereas a hi reverberation time, igher reverberation time " warmth to music. ‘Bher reverberation time can add depth, richness and The reverberation time of a room is defined as the time it takes for sound to decay by 60 dB after an abrupt terminal It is linked to the total quantity of soft treatments and ‘the volume of the room. See Reverberation time for mot \ Sotind absorption Sound absorption is the loss of sound energy when sound waves come into contact with an absorbent material such as ceilings, walls floors and other objects, as a result of which, the sound is ‘not reflected back into the space. Acoustic absorption can be used to reduce reverberation times. Absorbent materials ae sometimes categorised ffom A to E, where A is highly absorbent and E is almost fully reflective, Sound absorbers can be divided into three main categories: * Porous absorbents, such as fibrous materials or open-celled foam. * Resonance absorbents, which consist of a mechanical or acoustic oscillation system, such as membrane absorbers, * Single absorbers such as tables, chairs or other objects, See sound absorption for more information, Sound insulation Sound transmission paths can be interrupted by The sound insulation of damping. sound insulation and by blocking air paths, 4 single leaf of a material is govemed by its mass, stiffening and ¥ The sound insulation across a ‘200d conventional, lightweight, office to office construction is ‘ypically in the order of 45 4B Dw. This means that if the sound level in the source room is around 65 4B (@ typical level for speeck), the sound Jevel in the adjacent room, the receiver room, will be approximately 20 dB (barely audible). Tfsound|evels are increased in the Source room however, to 75 dB (raised Voice), sound levels within the adjacent room will also increase to around 30 dB (udible) Sound insulation therefore describes the Jevel of sound lost ‘across a partition and not the level of sound within an adjacent room, Dw represents the sound insulation between room: Rw represents the lab tested sound it insulation of ‘an element making up a eee « Datlion wall floor type. Standards achieved in labs may not be possible on s because of the quality of workmanship and due to ‘sound ‘flanking’ acoustic elements, that is, travelling around them through an easier ath, rather than only directly through them as under lab conditions, a The buildi i ilding regulations part E sets minimum standards for design and i : construction j relation to the resistance to the passage of sound. onstruction in See Sound insulation for more information. Noise nuisance ——— Building acoustics can help to mitigate the effects of noise disturbance which can have negative effects on health, wellbeing and general quality of life. The Noise Policy Statement for England (NPSE) defines noise pollution as: + Environmental noise — which includes noise from transportation sources, * Neighbour noise — which includes noise from inside and outside buildings. * Neighbourhood noise — which includes noise arising from industrial and entertainment premises, trade and businesses, construction sites and noise in the street. This can be an important consideration for the location, design and construction of new developments. See Noise nuisance for more information. Room acoustics BREEAM UK New Construction, Non-domestic Buildings/(United Kingdom), Technical Manual,SDS078:_ BREEAM UK New Construction” 2018 3.0, ublished by BRE Global Limited, defines room _acoustics as: ‘..how sound behaves in an enclosed space in terms of the reverberation time (or degree of echo), overall noise _levels and speech intelligibility.[Room acoustics are influenced by room geometry and distribution of acoustic absorption either through the general room finishes or through the introduction of sound absorbing products.’ - Building Acoustics: How to Design Healthier Buildings ‘What is building acoustics? Today, you lear all about building acoustics and how acoustic design can help in the development of better-performing buildings. Acoustics have an impact on the building as a whole and in turn, human comfort levels. For example, ever had a night when you couldn’t sleep because of the neighbors, street noise 1 a loud AC? Or you're trying to get some work done in your office... Only fo be repetitively interrupted by what’s happening dround you? Not only is this annoying (and your sleep and focus suffer), it’s also damaging to your health, productivity, and wellbeing. tearm more? Read on to lear all about the importance of acoustics in butging Want to learn design. lings? ‘What is acoust is the sci i in buildings. With acoustics servic, ii ics is the science of controlling sound in build os, Co cateematan ba is minimized. This ean be achieved with materials, design and acoustic techniques, Why is building acoustics so important? The impact of noise on health and wellbeing is aftr disregarded because it can’t be felt in the same way as, say, water and air pollution, But acoustics can have a huge impact on health, wellbeing, and productivity. In fact, noise pollution is, together with air pollution and water pollution, the most serious environmental pollution that affects human health, Noise pollution is an annoying and harmful level oF noise. For this reason, acoustic design is a crucial part of the design, construction, and operation of most buildings. Why are acoustics important in buildings? ‘What types of benefits does the optimization of building acoustics have? Good question. Here are the main benefits of building acoustics, Health, wellbeing, and comfort First, the acoustics in buildings is one of the key considerations of the impact that a building has on building occupants’ health, wellbeing, and comfort. Studies show that noise has a major impact on sleep. In fact, noise levels can make our sleeping brains behave as if they are awake. js poise also impacts our health more generally. Noise isthe number one cause of hearing loss, Noise leads to mental health problems such as anxiety and mental fatigue and sions health problems. High blood pressure, coronary heart disease, stress, and migraines ae'jus few such health issues. Tea tht with beter acoustics, buildings ean be made healthier and that way, more valuable for building occupants, investors, and owners Building occupancy levels and sales Prices Noise levels don’t directly affect o¢, ight be ae ‘cupancy lev .e prices. There might other considerations ( locate Y levels or sales or least 'on) that outweigh noise disturbances. For office build nai ings and buildings that depend on good acoustics, such as theaters and concert hall i ideratic S- acoustical considerations are all the more important. Productivity How d i ra eee then affect productivity? If acoustics aren't taken into account, a we Se rkspace can fail to achieve its purpose of being a productive and collaborative For example, bad acoustics can make us distracted and require a lot of our brain capacity. In fact. if someone overhears a conversation at work, the listener will instinetively process the conversation. And with the brain already focusing on one conversation, this employee won't be able to fully focus on the task in front of them. A study by the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) shows that 70% of office workers feel that noise affects their productivity. Plus, noise increases absenteeism and illnesses and makes people less helpful and more frustrated. With this in mind, optimized acoustics can account for huge cost-savings and create a lot of value for companies. How does building acoustics work? You understand the benefits of building acoustics. But how is building acoustics optimized? both airborne and structure-borne. A building’s acoustics are influenced try of that space. Besides this, sound absorption, transmission and surfaces that are positioned within and enclose that space impact In short, noise can be by the volume and geomet reflection characteristics of acoustics, .ce, generation of sound inside and Plus, other factors are materials that separate the sj outside the space, airborne sound transmission and impact noise. ost offices are: For example, some of the main culprits i Noisy HVAC systems. . . Improper partitioning of areas. Lousy acoustic insulation. Improper acoustic design. But thanks to acoustical engineering, noise can be controlled. There are several different strategies, including: jing Commissioning. Building commissioning is a crucial part of making sure that yy. A properly commissioned building will suild 's are optimized in the right wa significantly reduce the risks of noise pollution. , ing and measuring can be done both at the Jjevels, On-site test better design choices ang g sound | operational phase to make . in asurin| Testing and me sortase an the planning and construct fix shortcomings. + Modeling and simulations. High-tech computer models help in estimating how your building will work acoustically. This helps you make better decisions about how to optimize your building's acoustics. . pauere ae . Sound isolation. Sound isolation is one of the most important considerations fo a baalding and it helps you get rid of unwanted noise that is transmitted through adjoining gs, d ceilings. , . . eae or Svronmental ne ise monitoring equipment, the impact of noise can be measu! levels can also be modeled and predicted. «Equipment noise reduction. Mechanical and elects noise, For this, engineering techniques can be use your building’s equipment. + Room acoustics. If your space is a theatre, where music and speech will be transmitted), important consideration. + WELL Certification. The WELL certification focuses on human health and wellness, including acoustics. WELL Certification Cost about how we used WELL to improve our noise levels at Alpin’s Masdar City headquarters. cise. With short and long-term n red and evaluated. Future noise ical systems might be causing unwanted .d to reduce the noise and vibration from cinema, restaurant or classroom (in short, space balancing sound quality and acoustics is an Plus, besides planning and design measures, acoustical soundproofing and barrier construction can be used as more rigorous measures to improve building acoustics. x Building acoustics for different types of buildings _ Different buildings have different acoustical needs. Here below are the main considerati for various building types. ¢ the main considerations Acoustics in residential buildings and hotels Hotels and residential buildings rely on good acoustics for h ; oo occupancy levels. Afterall, health, sleep, and autores Ls Soe and high building residential building occupants. lerations for hotel and tidings in mc noay aces Acoustics cats shown to be more valuable than similar cs ca m to be more buildings more nosy areas, Acoustics can improve residential buildings in areas with a fot Noise is also one of the biggest causes of bit bs f s of complaints at hotels. H i : comfort levels and impact hotel bookings. While soundproofing makes hime ee sive t lop a hotel, this cost can easily pay itself back thanks t Seaton mel eee fo customer retention and more Acoustics in office Spaces Oilice spaces need to be built to help office workers keep productive, Comfortable and hy buildings, which are built for better communication, are ideal as offices. And acoustics play a big part in all of it, GS We've seen, poor acousties can impact productivity, staff retention, and healthcare costs, Sound privacy is another consideration. All in all, you are 66% less productive if you hear other people talk while you're writing or reading. On the other hand, if sound-masking technology is used, employees are 46% better at concentrating and their short-term memory increases by 10%, What does this show? Improving office space acoustics can have a major impact on your bottom line. Public schools and medical facilities depend on comfortable and healthy buildings. In fact, poor acoustics in schools ean negatively affect students by causing cognitive fatigue, increased anxiety, and poorer learning outcomes. In medical fa ise levels can impact patient comfort and slow down recovery. Plus, acoustic quality is important from a Privacy perspective. Bad acousties can jeopardize patient privacy. Acoustics in buildings with specific acoustic requirements Many buildings have specific acoustic requirements because of their intended use, For example, concert halls, conference spaces, recording studios, and cinemas depend on good building acoustics to function properly. In these types of buildings, acoustes wil directly impact the value ofthe building and their commercial potential (for example, concert ticket sales). Construction Techniques to Improve Acoustics of Buildings Acoustic of building deals with the technique of controlling sound waves or noise to transmit from one space to another. This can be achieved by adopting various constructional techniques or application of acoustic material on surfaces, © Ind Struct doors, structural vibrations, etc. ; Outdoor Noise or Air borne Noise :- vehicles, loud speakers, animals, railways, aeroplanes, machines at site work, etc, kids playing on ground, EQUIP Te Affecting Acoustics of Bulldingsle a si site of building should be away from market area or densely populated areas to avoid origin of sound. Volume and shape of building — Both factors should be designed and calculated as per the location of site and purpose of building. . Interior spaces and planning — Internal division of spaces should be as per function and Purpose of building. Circulation of people should also be considered. ; Height of building — height affects the reflection and reverberation factors of acoustics. Function and purpose of building — whether residential, commercial, public hall, recording studio, institutional, etc. Reflection — Sound waves are reflected on surfaces and remain inside the space Absorption — Sound waves are totally absorbed by barrier surfaces ‘Transmission- Sound wave transmit/ travel from one space to another through barriers Rettecton ‘Absorption Dittusion 1. Wall Itis a vertical barrier for transmission of s is sound Thickness of wall can be increased to avoid transmission Absorption takes place partly or fully by walls of. greater thickness + Application of cavity wall, impervious wall, damping of wall ean be adopted for wall acoustics: ‘wevnen sou WU ) ) agua OUND entcren souno! Sain 2, Coling snd Floors "TET SST Tope gsc cts eset a + Horizontal barriers in acousties ‘Tamping of footsteps, movement of furniture items, ete. are sources of sound from ceiling/floors + Acoustic can be improved by increasing thickness of ceiling slab, floating floor on resilient

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