Module 10
Acoustical Control in Building
Sound - is energy, and all energy emanates from a source in all directions
- It moves similarly to how heat and light energy do by passing through solids, air, and other
materials
- caused by the vibrations which transmit through a medium such as air and reach the ear or any
receiver that can detect it.
• Sound intensity is measured in Decibels (dB)
• Sound pitch is measured in Hertz (Hz)
Acoustics - is a science that deals with the production, control, transmission, reception, and effects of
sound.
- this includes the minimization of noise transmission from one space to another and the
control of the characteristics of sound within spaces themselves
Reverberation time – the time that it takes a sound made in a room to diminish to one millionth of its
original intensity.
Sound Absorption – is the loss of sound energy due to the sound waves being absorbed by materials
capable of doing such.
Sound Insulation – reduces the transmission of sound
Sound Generation
Sound can be generated from single or multiple sources but is typically characterized by three
characteristics:
Frequency (Pitch): written as Hertz or Hz, is the measurement of the tone or musical note of a
sound
:it might have a high pitch like a flute might make (2000 Hz) or a low pitch as
from a tuba (as low as 29 Hz).
Wavelength: The wavelength of a sound wave is the distance between the start and end of a
sound wave cycle or the distance between two successive sound wave pressure peaks.
: It is equal to the speed of sound in the material, such as air divided by the
frequency of the sound wave.
Amplitude (Loudness): The amplitude of a sound wave is visually its height from bottom to top
but is in fact indication of the strength of the energy in that wave.
: It is measured in decibels (dB), such that the higher the dB rating, the
more energy, and hence the louder the sound that we hear.
Acoustical Control in Buildings
All structures contain sound, which has an impact on occupants in the same way that other forms of
energy like heat and light do. The essence of effective acoustical design is the control of all components
of sound entering or leaving a room or building space. Unwanted noise that is allowed to enter a
building from the outside can distract or even hurt individuals there. Similar unpleasant indoor
sensations can result from sound traveling in all directions across rooms or areas in a building (i.e.
through walls, floors, ceilings, etc.). Similar to how it's crucial to design a building to employ desirable
light while minimizing unfavorable glare, all of these components of sound in a building are crucial for a
good design. A thorough, effective outcome can be obtained by incorporating acoustical design into
architectural and interior design in a holistic manner. Controlling the flow of undesirable sound between
rooms lowers noise, enhances the indoor atmosphere, supports sustainable design, and benefits the
building's users in the long run.
SOUND TRANSMISSION CLASS (STC)
Sound Transmission – common acoustic issue for it can be both airborne or structure borne vibration.
- Can cause noise control, confidentiality, and privacy issues.
- If the sound transmission in a room or place is not properly controlled, it will not
provide privacy for the users
Transmission Loss - is a measurement of a partition’s ability to block sound at a given frequency, or the
number of decibels that sound of a given frequency is reduced in passing through a partition.
The Sound Transmission Class (STC) - is determined by ASTM E90, is a single-number rating of a
material’s or an assembly’s ability to resist airborne sound transfer at the frequencies 125-4000 Hz.
- Highly dependent on the construction of the partition.
- A partition’s STC can be increased by:
• Adding mass
• Increasing or adding air space
• Adding absorptive material within the partition
RULES OF THUMB
General rules of thumb for controlling noise between spaces:
• A wall must extend to the structural deck in order to achieve optimal isolation. Walls extending only to
a dropped ceiling will result in inadequate isolation.
• Sound will travel through the weakest structural elements, which, many times, are doors, windows or
electrical outlets.
• When the mass of a barrier is doubled, the isolation quality (or STC rating) increases by approximately
5 dB, which is clearly noticeable.
• Installing insulation within a wall or floor/ceiling cavity will improve the STC rating by about 4-6 dB,
which is clearly noticeable.
• Often times, specialty insulations do not perform any better than standard batt insulation.
• Metal studs perform better than wood studs. Staggering the studs or using dual studs can provide a
substantial increase in isolation.
• Increasing air space in a wall or window assembly will improve isolation