Part 4

Architectural Acoustics

Sound Pressure Level (SPL)

Since sound is a pressure wave, and the faintest

sound detectable to the human ear is 20 Pa,
we can work out a relationship to determine
the sound pressure level in dB.

p
SPL dB = 20 log
p0
where:
p = pressure in Pa
p0 = reference pressure level (20 Pa)

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Inverse Square Law

Each doubling of distance from the sound

source results in a fourfold reduction of sound
power (equal to 6 dB)

dBNEW = dBOLD + 20 log DOLD 20 log DNEW

where:

dBNEW = new SPL

dBOLD = original SPL
DOLD = original distance from source
DNEW = new distance from source

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Some more definitions

z Reverberation
z Multiple, repetitive echoes

z Echo
z Repetition of sound by reflecting of sound waves
from a surface
z Sound produced in this manner

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Direct / Reflected Sound

z Inside rooms, reflected sound plays a big part

in the overall perception of sound
z This reverberant sound may reinforce or
diminish the original sound depending on the
frequency and path lengths taken by the
reflected sound
z The amount of reverberant sound depends on
the room dimensions, and the type and
amount of materials present in the room

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Acoustics (Architectural Acoustics) 5

z Reinforcement of sound is an effect of so

called early reflections
z The hearing process integrates any reflections
within the first 25 to 30 ms after hearing the
direct sound, and essentially perceives them
together with the direct sound itself
z These are not technically called reverberations
because they happen very quickly, and not
perceived as separate sounds from the
original
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Reverberation time

z The length of time it takes for the sound level

to drop by 60 dB after the sound source has
stopped emitting sound

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Wallace Clement Sabine
z Father of modern architectural
acoustics
z The unit of sound absorption,
the sabine (sometimes sabin),
was named in his honor

z sabine
z Defined as one square meter of
area in which 100% of the
incident sound is absorbed

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Acoustics (Architectural Acoustics) 9

Reverberation time

The formula for reverberation time is

0.164V
RT60 =
S n n + N k Ak
where:
RT60 = reverberation time
V = room volume, m3
S = area of absorbent material of type n, m2
= sound absorption coefficient of material of type n
N = number of objects of type k
A = absorption factor of object of type k

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z The sound absorption coefficient is the
ratio of the non-returning sound energy to the
incident sound energy.
z The sound absorption coefficient of a
material depends mainly on
z on the porosity and aerodynamic resistance
z on its resonance behavior
z In general, porous materials absorb more
strongly the high frequencies, and resonant
materials the low frequencies
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Problem

Find the reverberation time of a room at 500 Hz

which measures 30 x 10 x 4 m (L x W x H)
with the room:
a. bare
b. back wall covered with thin curtains
c. back wall covered with thick curtains and side walls with thin
curtains
d. with (c) and floor in velours carpet
e. with (d) and 100 upholstered seats
f. with the room half full
g. with the room full

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Acoustics (Architectural Acoustics) 13

Sound Insulation

z Sound entering a room from external areas

can be controlled by quieting the source, by
adding absorption to the source room (if the
source is indoors) to lower the ambient level in
the source room and hence the energy striking
the party surface
z Certain materials transmit sound striking it,
while most are lost and dissipated in the
material as heat

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 The net transmission loss of a material (or
partition) which consists of various materials
can be obtained from
S
TL = 10 log
s r
n n
where:
TL = transmission loss
S = total area of partition
sn = individual areas of material
rn = transmitivity of material

*note:
ri = 10(-T / 10)
where:
T = individual transmission loss of the material in dB

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Acoustics (Architectural Acoustics) 15

Problem

A studio is separated from an office by a

plywood wall (partition) measuring 3.5 x 7 m,
with a 2.5 x 1 m glass pane. Access to the
studio is through a heavy door measuring 1.5
x 2.5 m. Find the ambient noise in the studio if
the plywood, glass, & door provides 10, 5, and
23 dB of attenuation respectively.

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