BUILDING UTILITIES 3 SOUND – a mechanical wave that is an oscillation

of pressure transmitted through some medium

ACOUSTIC – the study of how sounds are created, (like air or water), composed of frequencies
transmitted and received. which are within the range of hearing.
 The science of sound.
7 branches
1. ARCHITECTURAL ACOUSTIC – a branch of
acoustics that deals with providing rooms PIONEERS
and buildings with good conditions for
listening to speech and music.  ARISTOTLE – he suggested that a sound
2. MUSICAL ACOUSTIC – deals with the wave propagates in air through motion of
physics of musical instruments. the air.
3. UNDERWATER ACOUSTIC – deals  PYTHAGORAS – a Greek philosopher whose
specifically with all aspects of the sound of experiments on the properties of vibrating
the sea and its use for detection of vessels strings that produce pleasing musical
and the exploration of the seabed. intervals.
4. ENGINEERING ACOUSTIC – the technology  BOETHIUS – a roman philosopher who
of sound production and recording, sound suggested that the human perception of
motion pictures and radio and television pitch is related to the physical property of
 The study of vibrations of solids frequency.
and their control and the use at  VITRUVIUS – a roman architectural
high intensity ultrasonic in engineer who contributed substantially to
industrial processing. the acoustic design of theatres.
5. SPEECH AND COMMUNICATION –  WALLACE CLEMENT WARE SABINE – father
considers the production and transmission of architectural acoustic
of speech.
6. BIOACOUSTICS AND MEDICAL ACOUSTICS HERTZ – unit of frequency
– it uses sound in medical diagnosis and SABIN – unit of sound absorption.
therapy as well as its use in the study of DECIBEL – unit used to measure sound level.
overall behavior of animals in general. RAYL – unit of acoustic impedance.
7. ENVIRONMENTAL ACOUSTICS – involves
the control of noise pollution, HEAVY ABSORPTION – suits drum room, music
environmental noise which includes practice space, rooms that handle high-energy
automobile and other motor vehicles, music. Vocal booths and recording isolation
aircrafts, industrial plan and heavy booths require the most absorption.
construction equipment. SOUND ABSORPTION COEFFICIENT – describes
the fraction of the incident sound energy that a
ACOUSTICAL DESIGN – the planning, shaping, material absorbs.
finishing, and furnishing of an enclosed space to MODERATE ABSORPTION – suits listening and
establish the acoustical environmental necessary control rooms that typically feature more
for distinct hearing. subdued music, as well as larger business spaces,
20 HZ – 20, 000 HZ – frequency range of a young and home theaters.
healthy person. NOISE REDUCTION COEFFICIENT – a single
SOUND PROOFING – any means of reducing the number value ranging from 0.0 to 1.0 that
sound pressure with respect to a specified sound describes the average sound absorption
source and receptor. performance of a material.
INFRASONIC – sound below 20HZ
ULTRASONIC – sound above 20, 000HZ
WAVELENGTH – the distance between similar textured materials constitute typical units
points on successive waves of the distance sound in this group.
wave travels in one cycle.
SOUND PRESSURE – the local pressure deviation
from the ambient atmospheric pressure, caused Commonly used materials:
by a sound wave.  Acoustical Boards – also referred to as
LIGHT ABSORPTION – appropriate for live acoustic tiles.
recording or listening rooms, offices, conference - porous boards made of
rooms and rooms where people gather and various types of sound absorbing materials,
converse. usually used for ceiling.
Can be installed in:
BASIC ELEMENTS IN AN ACOUSTICAL SITUATION  Cemented to a solid backing
1. The Source  Nailed or screwed to wood or
2. Path aluminum framing
3. Receiver  Laid in a ceiling suspension
system.
4 Essential elements for Acoustical Advatages
1. Room acoustic – determine cubic volume; - Trade catalogs contain detailed
shape and proportion specifications.
2. Sound Isolation – define sitenoise; - Easy installation and
outdoor barriers (buildings, vegetations maintenance.
and earthberms) - Flexible absorption.
3. Mechanical System Noise and Vibration – Disadvantages
equipment noise characteristics; - Difficult to conceal joints
background noise; location of mechanical between units
equipment. - Paint redecoration harmful to
4. Electronics Sound Amplification Systems absorption.
– system with room acoustics; system - Soft structure subject to damage.
components and controls  Acoustical Hangers – a system of fiber-
board panels that are wrapped with
Acoustical Materials insulation and are hung freely using wire
or rope.
COMMERCIAL and CUSTOM DESIGNED building  Geocoustic Tiles, Panels, & Foamboards
materials and surface treatment which contribute – special prefabricated units for random
significantly to acoustical control, through application on walls and ceilings.
absorption.  Diffusers – absorptive material that have
irregular surfaces, or angled or curved
 Porous Materials fronts, so when mounted on a wall or the
A cellular network of interlocking pores ceiling they stop parallel wall interference
Within these pores sound energy is and prevent standing waves.
converted into heat.
It includes acoustical boards, diffusers,  Plasters and Sprays
soft plasters, mineral wool and acoustics Absorbent paint applied in a semi-plastic
blankets. consistency.
CATEGORIES OF COMMERCIAL MATERIALS: 2 types:
 PRE-FABRICATED ACOUSTICAL UNIT –  Type 1 – composed of a cementitious
various types of perforated, fissured, or material such as gypsum, cement, or lime.
  Type II – Fibrous materials combined with  perforated panel absorbers – perforated
a binder agent, sprayed on with an air gun panels spaced away from a solid backing
or blower.  slit resonators – isolation blankets (or
alternative) covered with slits, the whole
Advantages: system is forming a resonator
- May be used for irregular surfaces
- Aesthetic and decorative qualities. Space Absorbers
Disadvantages: Sound absorbing objects which are
- Difficult application suspended from the ceiling, used when regular
- Difficult maintenance boundary enclosures of an auditorium do not
provide a suitable or adequate area for
 Acoustical Blankets – referred to as conventional acoustical treatment.
“Isolation Blankets”. Materials
manufactures from rock wool, glass fibers, Variable Absorbers
hair felt, etc. Sliding, hinged, movable, and rotatable
 Carpets and Fabric panels constructed to expose either absorptive or
reflective surfaces.
Carpets do not have high absorptive qualities,
unless they are thick and/or are mounted on DETAILS TO BE EXAMINED IN THE SELECTION OF
rubber. SOUND ABSORPING FINISHES:
 Sound Absorption / Nosie Reduction
Advantages: Coefficient
- Reduce impact noise  Possible Installation methods
- Reduce shuffling noise and clicking of  Durability
heels.  Maintenance
- Have aesthetic and decorative qualities  Integration with room elements
that help create tranquil atmospheres.  Attraction to Vermin
 Thermal Insulation Values
Fabric used as curtains, or simply for decorative  Fire Resistance
purposes, may be effective sound absorbers if  Cost and Availability
they are thick and heavyweight.  Aesthetics

 Panel Absorbers – referred to as Sound and Building Materials

“Membrane Absorbers” Impervious
material installed in a solid backing but Absorption Coefficient
separated from it by an air space. A= 1.00
 Cavity Resonators – referred to as A= 0.02
“Helmholtz Resonators”. Materials that A= 0.95
consist of an enclosed body of air,
confined within rigid walls and connected
by a narrow opening to the surroundings
space.

Classification: Characteristics of Sound

 individual cavity resonators – standard 1. Incident / direct sound
concrete blocks, using regular concrete 2. Reflected sound
mixture, but with slotted cavities. 3. Absorbed sound
4. Diffuser sound
 5. Diffracted sound
6. Transmitted sound
7. Sound dissipated within the surface Methods to create Sound Diffusion
8. Sound conducted by the structure  Providing several surface irregularities
 Providing an alternating application of
ROOM ACOUSTICS reflective and absorptive finishes.
 Providing a random application of
SOUND REFLECTION reflective and absorptive finishes.
Sound reflected off a surface, usually one which is  Providing diffusers.
hard, rigid and/or flat.
Sound Diffraction
Law of Reflectivity: A phenomenon which causes sound
 Angle of incidence equals the angle of waves to be bent or scattered.
reflection
 Sound waves in contact with concave and Sound Refraction
convex surfaces will reflect off these Change of sound wave direction as it
surfaces in different directions. moves from one material to another of different
density.
Sound Absorption Sound propagation velocity / media
Sound waves absorbed into a material material speed
upon contact; change of energy into some other Air 344 m/s
form. Water 1410 m/s
METHOD OF SOUND ABSORPTION Wood 3300 m/s
 Fractional Brick 3600 m/s
 Flexural Concrete 3700 m/s
 Resonating Steel 4900 m/s
Glass 5000 m/s
Sound Absorption Coefficient (a): Aluminum 5800 m/s
Fraction of energy of the incident sound
Reverberation
absorbed by the surface; rates the efficiency of
The prolongation of sound as a result of
sound absorption of a materials at a specified
successive reflections in an enclosed space after
frequency.
the source of sound is turned off.
Material Frequency
250 500 1k 2k
Concrete 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 Reverberation Time (RT):
(unpainted, Time for the sound pressure in a room to
rough finish) decrease 60db after the sound is stopped.
Carpet 0.02 0.06 0.15 0.25
6mm plywood 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.08 Optimum RT:
over 50mm The most favorable reverberation time for
airspace a particular space and volume.
20mm acoustic 0.17 0.35 0.45 0.55
board, nailed RT = 0.16V/A
Ordinary 0.25 0.18 0.12 0.07 V = volume of the room
window glass, A = total absorption in Sabins
6mm

NCR – arithmetic average of sound absorption OptRT = 0.30 log V / 10

coefficient at the frequencies for rooms for speech
 Sound Concentration
ACOUSTICAL DEFECTS Referred to as “Sound Foci”. Sound
reflections from concave surfaces concentrating
Flaws or imperfection on a single area.

Echo and Sound Delay Areas of sound concentration are referred to as

“Hot Spots”
Echo – Sound waves which have been reflected to
a listener with sufficient magnitude and time The intensity of sound at hot spots are always at
delay so as to be perceived separately from those the expense of “Dead Spots”.
communicated directly from source to listener
Couple Spaces
 Time delay for speech: 1/25 of a speech
th
Two rooms adjacent to each other by
 Time delay for music: 1/10th of a second opening, with at least one space being highly
Long Delayed Reflection – similar to echo except reverberant.
that the time delay between direct and reflected
sound is somewhat less. Distortion
An undesirable change in the quality of
Flutter Echo musical sound due to the uneven and excessive
A rapid succession of noticeable small sound absorption of the boundary surfaces at
echoes observed when a short burst of sound is different frequencies.
produced between parallel sound reflective
surfaces. Room Resonance: also called “Coloration”.
Occurs when certain sounds within a narrow
band of frequencies tend to sound louder than
other frequencies.

Sound Shadow
Occurs when an area does not receive an
adequate amount of direct sound

 Noticeable under a balcony

 Also noticeable in seating areas outside
the maximum 140 deg area from the
sound source.

Whispering Gallery
 Referred to as a “Creep”. High frequency
sounds creeping along large concave surfaces T = r (0.012√3 v +0.1070 )
such as a hemispherical dome, elliptical or
ellipsoidal enclosure No music hall is built for one specific type or style
of music
Sound Diffusion - 1.0 second for Baroque Music
Occurs when sound waves are dispersed - 1.5 seconds for Classical Music
equally in a room - 2.0 seconds for Romantic Music

There are several methods to create sound The RT therefore, must always be a meticulously
diffusion: established compromise of…… 1.7 seconds
 Providing several surface irregularities
 Providing an alternating application of Floor shapes of typical music halls include:
reflective and absorptive finishes.  Rectangular
 Fan – Shaped
Acoustical Criteria for Various Building Types  Horshoe
Requirements in Auditorium Design  Irregular
- Adequate loudness
- Sound diffusion Concert Halls:
- Optimum reverberation characteristics Each musician requires a floor area 1.1 to
- Free from acoustical defects 1.4 M , while each member of the chorus requires
- Reduced or eliminated noise and vibration 0.3 to 0.4 M
Platform should have a maximum depth
Rooms and Music of 9M and a width of 18M
Acoustical attributes affect the quality of Music If chorus space is necessary, 3M on either
side or at the back can be added.
Warmth: felt when the room has a relatively long
RT at low frequencies (250hz and below) Theathers / Opera Houses:
Use orchestra pits, located at least 2.5M
Fullness of Tone: noticed when there is a below the stage.
controlled RT over the entire audio frequency
range. Stages of the Theaters and Opera Houses include:
- Open / Thrust
Balance: created by numerous reflective and - Arena
diffusive surfaces around the sound source to - Proscenium
strengthen and improve the balance between - Adaptable
various sections of the musical sound sources.
Places or Worship:
Live hall: an auditorium with large volume One of the most difficult aspects in the
relative to its audience capacity with acoustical design of Churches is RT control.
predominantly sound reflecting enclosures. Churches usually consist of several
coupled spaces. (e.g Notre Dame, Paris /
Dead Hall: a hall with a relatively small volume Chartres, Paris)
compared to its audience capacity, with
enclosures which are highly absorptive. Multi-Purpose Halls:
Most multi-purpose auditoriums have
Investigations show that music requires a longer excessively long RTs
RT than speech
 One frequent cause of a long RT is the
unraked or level floor. The front wall behind the screen is treated with
Multi purpose halls in basements of absorptive material to avoid back reflections from
buildings can have an RT of from 5-8 seconds. the speakers.

Office Spaces: Recording Studios:

Speech privacy in an open-plan office is Of all spaces which require acoustical
more difficult to attain than in a conventional attention, recording studios are the most
office. Because work stations are not separated complex.
by full-heigh but by low-height partitions.
Used for sound recording and mixing, and
A reasonable level of speech privacy in an open- consequently should have at least two defined
plan office is achievable if the following design spaces:
guidelines are followed: - Recording or “Live” Room
- Control or Monitoring Room
- Office partitions should be made of
multiple-leaf panels. Room proportions are critical for good
- Partitions must be at least 1.5M high by reverberation characteristics are generally
2.5M long. This will prevent the sounds advocated; (H:W:L)
from being diffracted too much into the 1: 1.25: 1.6
adjoining space. 1: 1/5: 2.5
- The ceiling must be designed as very 1: 1,15: 1.4
highly absorptive approaching the “open-
sky” acoustical condition so that all Recording Studios should be designed against:
sounds reaching the ceiling get lost in it. - Sound Reflection
- In practice, the aim is to achieve a - Room Resonances
minimum overall NRC value of 0.75 for the
ceiling system. Thus there are two basic types of Acoustical
Treatment:
Motion Picture Theaters: 1. Absorbers – for midrange and high
Represent an exclusively single purpose frequencies
auditorium. - for low frequencies
2. Diffusors
The original sound source is not present, but is a
mere reproduction, reflecting the acoustical Control rooms require just as much acoustical
character of the motion picture studio in which attention:
the film’s scene was short. - Motion speakers and “mixer” should form an
equilateral triangle.
Motion picture theaters should have a relatively - treat ‘first reflection’ points with absorptive
short RT. panels.
- treat remaining spaces to clean out residual
The room should be raked, with the room length ringing.
not exceeding 50M. - add bass traps in some corners.

Heavily upholstered seats should be used to Broadcasting Stations:

counteract fluctuating attendance.
Cinema foyers should be provided, and treated There are several types of studios for
for a low RT. broadcasting:
  Residential Buildings – residences in
 Announcer’s Booth – the smallest studio, suburdan districts require a higher degree of
normally associated with a larger one. The sound insulation than those built in noisy
floor area is only about 14m2. areas.
 Talk Studio – used for newscasts, panel  Hotels
discussions, addresses, and even recitals, 3 types of spaces require attention:
the floor area is about 47m2. 1. Public and social rooms
 Drama Studio – floor area is from 56 to 2. Guest rooms
140m2. 3. Circulation areas
 Versatile Studio – Used for either speech These spaces must have adequate noise
or musical presentations, floor area varies control and proper reverberation characteristics.
between 140 and 370m2  Schools – the most essential considerations
 Audience Studio – used for broadcasting for sound control are site selection, site
choral and orchestral programs. planning, and architectural programming.
Room acoustical design of classrooms, lecture
CYCLORAMA halls, auditoriums, libraries, music rooms,
A photographic background used in gyms, etc. must also be considered.
studios, theatres and sometimes on location.  Museums and Libraries – a quiet
Is necessary for recording pictures, environment is essential for reading, studying,
because in a TV studio both sounds and pictures or contemplating works of art. A reasonable
are handled to record. amount of sound absorptive material should
Heavy draperies can absorb mid and high be used for a short RT and to help insulate
frequencies, but not low frequencies. sound from exterior sources.
 Airports – other than the problem of aircraft
Acoustical Requirements for broadcasting noise, airports provide additional services for
Studios: both airlines and passengers. These spaces
- For television studios the Reverberation require direct speech, public address systems,
Time should be relatively low, because the and telephone conversations. Thus, the
volume is larger and there is more noise acoustical criteria should be established with
to control. these considerations.
- More absorption is required because of  Industrial Buildings – protection for the
the use of boom microphones (NC = 25) workers form noise is the most essential
- Air conditioning systems, lighting, and consideration. Speech communication among
other utility related noise must be is also important.
contained.  Restaurants – acoustical problem is reducing
reverberation and noise. Sound absorptive
Motion Picture Studios: treatment should be generously placed. If
Usually built as large halls with highly possible, sound locks should be placed
absorbent enclosures so that the sets can between the kitchen and dining area.
contribute their own acoustical characteristics as  Hospitals – interior noise sources are major
required. problems because inherent mechanical units
of a hospital are fundamentally noisy.
Provision for the required short RT and for a high
degree of noise and vibration isolation within
these studios is the main acoustical objective.

OTHER BUILDING TYPES: