ARCHITECTURAL ACOUSTICS

SOUND CHARACTERISTICS & DEFECTS

Ar. Radha Krishan

AIT-SAP GREATER NOIDA

 SOUND CHARACTERISTICS
SOUND PRESSURE LEVEL

Sound pressure level (SPL) is the pressure level of a sound, measured in decibels
(dB).
SI UNIT OF Sound Intensity - Watt/m2

β (dB) = 10 log10 (I)

2
SOUND CHARACTERISTICS

3
 SOUND CHARACTERISTICS
Acoustical requirements of common built spaces by expertise and experienced
Open plan building:
SPL 40-45 dB
Minimize disturbance
Audibility wherever intended

4
 SOUND CHARACTERISTICS
Acoustical requirements of common built spaces by expertise and experienced
Auditorium/Home theatres:
SPL 25-30 dB
Optimal Reverberation
Intelligibility
Clarity and definition
Liveliness

5
 SOUND CHARACTERISTICS
Acoustical requirements of common built spaces by expertise and experienced
Board Rooms/Lecture Hall/ Meeting
Room/Teleconference Room:
SPL 30-35 dB
Privacy
Intelligibility

6
 SOUND CHARACTERISTICS
Acoustical requirements of common built spaces by expertise and experienced
Private Office:
SPL 35-40 dB
Minimum noise incursion
Privacy

7
 SOUND CHARACTERISTICS
Acoustical requirements of common built spaces by expertise and experienced
Hospitals:
SPL 30-35 dB
Minimize noise
Privacy
Audibility

8
 SOUND CHARACTERISTICS
Acoustical requirements of common built spaces by expertise and experienced
Restaurant:
SPL 45 – 50 dB(A)
Privacy
Audibility
Live Ambiance

9
 SOUND CHARACTERISTICS
Acoustical requirements of common built spaces by expertise and experienced
lobbies/ Common areas
SPL 45 – 50 dB(A)
Minimize Background Noise
Audibility
Privacy

10
 SOUND CHARACTERISTICS
Acoustical requirements of common built spaces by expertise and experienced
Urban Residential:
SPL 45 – 50 dB(A)
Minimize Background Noise
Privacy

11
 SOUND CHARACTERISTICS
THRESHOLD OF HEARING
Threshold of hearing is the lowest
threshold of acoustic pressure
sensation , possible to perceive
by an organism.

12
 SOUND CHARACTERISTICS
THRESHOLD OF HEARING

(
(( 0 dB(A) )) )

13
 SOUND CHARACTERISTICS
THRESHOLD OF HEARING

(
(( 90 dB(A) )) )

14
 SOUND CHARACTERISTICS
THRESHOLD OF HEARING
Threshold of hearing is the lowest threshold of acoustic pressure sensation , possible to
perceive by an organism.

15
 SOUND CHARACTERISTICS
AUDIBLE RANGE / HEARING RANGE
For a healthy young person 20 to 20,000Hz

Infrasound, or low-frequency sound, describes sound waves with a frequency

below the lower limit of audibility (generally 20 Hz). Hearing becomes gradually
less sensitive as frequency decreases.
16
 SOUND CHARACTERISTICS
DOUBLING OF DISTANCE

By doubling the distance from the Sound source and Receiver there is a 6dB
reduction at SPL

17
 SOUND CHARACTERISTICS
DOUBLING OF SOURCE
By doubling the quantity of sound source of similar power, there would be
an increase of 3dB at total SPL to the receiver

18
 SOUND CHARACTERISTICS
DOUBLING OF SOURCE
By doubling the quantity of sound source of similar power, there would be
an increase of 3dB at total SPL to the receiver

19
 SOUND CHARACTERISTICS
SOUND TRANSMISSION CLASS
Sound Transmission Class (or STC) is an integer rating of how well a building
partition attenuates airborne sound.

20
 SOUND CHARACTERISTICS
SOUND TRANSMISSION CLASS
Sound Transmission Class (or STC) is an integer rating of how well a building
partition attenuates airborne sound.
Adjacency Combinations STCC
Residence (within a multi-family Residence or Hotel/Motel Room 55
residence) or Hotel/Motel Room
Residence or Hotel/Motel Room Common Hallway/Stairway 50
Residence or Hotel/Motel Room Retail 60
Retail Retail 50
Standard Office Standard Office 45
Executive Office Executive Office 50
Conference Room Conference Room 50
Office/Conference Room Hallway/Stairway 50
Mechanical Equipment Room Occupied Area 60

21
COMMON ACOUSTICAL PROBLEMS
1. ECHOES

22
SOLUTION
1. ECHOES
Either alter the geometry of the offending surface

23
COMMON ACOUSTICAL PROBLEMS
2. SOUND CONCENTRATION - 'HOT-SPOTS’

24
SOLUTION
2. SOUND CONCENTRATION - 'HOT-SPOTS’

(a) Treat with absorber.

25
SOLUTION
2. SOUND CONCENTRATION - 'HOT-SPOTS’
(b) Treat with diffuser.
It’s always better still, redesign it to focus the sound outside or above the
enclosure.

26
 COMMON ACOUSTICAL PROBLEMS

3. SOUND SHADOWING - UNDER A BALCONY

27
 SOLUTION
3. SOUND SHADOWING - UNDER A BALCONY
(a) Redesign the protruding surface to provide reflected sound to the affected seats
or get rid of the protrusion.
(b) Depth (d) should not be more than Height (h)

28
 COMMON ACOUSTICAL PROBLEMS

4. COUPLED SPACES

29
 SOLUTION
4. COUPLED SPACES
(a) Add some form of acoustic separation or match the RT of both rooms

30
 SOUND ABSORPTION
Sound waves striking an arbitrary surface are either reflected, transmitted or absorbed; the
amount of energy going into reflection, transmission or absorption depends on acoustic
properties of the surface.

31