AR2AE045-RA1 Room Acoustics 1

ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM
Acoustics
Room Acoustics
Lecture AR2AE045-D1-1
p
Martin Tenpierik
DR.IR.ARCH.MARTINTENPIERIK/FACULTYOFARCHITECTURE/BUILDINGPHYSICS/AR2AE045/01February2012 /1
Introduction
Architectural Acoustics can be subdivided into

Room Acoustics / Spatial Acoustics
Traffic Noise and Urban Acoustics
Sound Insulation and Sound Proofing
Content
This lecture focuses on Room Acoustics.

Room Acoustics includes acoustics of concert halls,
theaters and auditoria.
But also:
- Noise reduction in noisy spaces
- Speech intelligibility in rooms / offices / schools
- Sound propagation through Coupled Rooms
Concert halls only once per 10 year ??
Restaurant nearly every day
Room Acoustics
Sound Reflection in Enclosures
Thousands of
Rays!
longer path
later arrival
reverberation"
direct sound
microphone
Measuring a
Room
Past:
- Use alarm pistol or clap your hands: impulse
And listen or register on tape
Nowadays:
- Use loudspeaker and microphone
Calculate impulse response on computer
Different signals can be used:
- Digital noise (white noise, pink noise)
- Sweep signals
Impulse
Response
An Example
direct
echo
100
00 ms
s
reverberation
time axis
Our Ears +
Brains
They are sensitive to Energy or Power

And are a logarithmic device
device
Energy ~
Pressure
Squared
direct
linear
scale
echo
0.3 s
time axis
Echogram
direct
log-
echo
scale
20 dB
0.6 s
time axis
Often drawn as
direct
Amplitu
ude [dB]
80
reverberation"
60
40
00
0.0
01
0.1
0.2
0
2
time [s]
03
0.3
04
0.4
Backward
Integration:
Schrder
20 dB
1s
time
Reverberation
Time:
reverberation time T
Sabines
Definition
(1900)
draw straight line
60 dB decrease
1s
time
Example:
Reverberation
time
Reverberation in a room
T = 0.6
0 6 s in a small room
T = 1.0 s in a small room
T = 2.0 s in a big room
T = 2.5 s in a big room
Reverberation
Time:
From the energy balance of a room, Sabine derived

an equation for the reverberation time as:
Sabines
Definition
(1900)
55.3 V
V V
T
0.161
c0 A
A 6A
c0 = speed of sound wave in air (=340 m/s)
V = volume
l
off room (m
( 3)
n
2
A = total absorption in room (m sabin) i Si
i 1
= sound absorption
p
coefficient of a surface
(-)
()
S = area of a surface (m2)
This equation can be derived from the energy balance of the
room in case of a diffuse sound field.
Reverberation
Time:
Derivation
Energy balance equation of a room:
dE
W V
IA
dt
W = power of sound source (W)
V = volume of room (m3)
E = energy density in room (J/m3)
t = time
ti
((s))
I = acoustic intensity in room (W/m2)
A = total absorption in room (m2 Sabine)
Reverberation
Time:
Reverberation time is the decay of acoustic energy

after a source is switched off (thus W =0 W):
Derivation
ddE
IA
0 V
dt
Since E
2
eff
2
0
and I
2
peff
4 c0
in a diffuse field,
the equation becomes
dpeff2 (t )
dt
c0 A
p (t )
4V
2
eff
Reverberation
Time:
Derivation
Assuming p2eff(t) = p2eff(0) at t = 0, the solution to

this equation becomes
peff2 (t ) peff2 (0) e
c0 A
t
4V
or
2
c40VA t
peff
(t )
10 logg 2
10 logg e
p (0)
eff
which equals
2
2
c40VA t
peff
peff
(0)
(t )
10 log
10 log e
10 log
p 2
p 2
0
0
Reverberation
Time:
Since T is defined for a decay of 60 dB, the term on

the left hand side of the equation is 60 dB
Derivation
c40VAT
60 10 log e
or
V
55.3 V
55.3 V
T 4 ln 10
c0 A
c0 A
c0 Stot
6
Reverberation
Time:
Eyrings
Definition
(1930)
Sabines definition however gives problems for high

average absorption coefficient. Eyring therefore
derived another reverberation time as:
55.3 V
c0 Stot ln 1
6 Stot ln 1
c0 = speed
d off sound
d wave in
i air
i (=340
( 340 m/s)
/ )
V = volume of room (m3)
Stot = total
o a surface
su ace a
area
ea in room
oo ((m2)
= average absorption coefficient (-)
Th derivation
The
d i i will
ill not be
b presented
d here.
h
Reverberation
Time
Sabine versus Eyring

Sabine: T
Eyring:
55.3
55
3V
c0 Stot
55 3 V
55.3
c0 Stot ln 1
- Note the minus sign in Eyrings equation

- Differences are small if is small
gg if approaches
pp
1
- Differences become bigger
Reverberation
Time:
Sabines and Eyrings reverberation time:
Example
Room size: 13 x 10 x 6 m3
Average sound absorption coefficient: 0.21
Total Absorption: 0.21 x 536 = 113 m2 sabin
55.33 780
55
Tsab
1.1 s
340 0.21 536
55.3 780
Teyr
1.0 s
340 536 ln(1 0.21)
A room with V/Stot = 3 m

4
3,5
Reverrberation tim
me,T [s]
Sabine vs.
Eyring
3
25
2,5
2
1,5
1
Sabine
0,5
Eyring
0
0
0,2
0,4
0,6
0,8
average absorption coefficient [-]
Reverberation
Time:
60 dB??
Extrapolation
onlyy allowed if
straight line!
1s
time
Reverberation
Time:
Other
definitions
Sometimes therefore other intervals are used for

characterising a room:
- T30 uses an interval
i t
l off 30 dB
multiply the found value with 2
- T15 uses an interval of 15 dB
- EDT (Early Decay Time) uses the first 10 dB decay
Reverberation
Time
T is often used as a measure for acoustical quality

-
1.5
0.8
0.8
0.4
0.3
0.1
- 2.2
- 1.0
s
- 1.2
- 0.4
- 0.2
s
s
s
s
s
for music
for speech
for an office ((too high
g ??))
in dwellings
maximum for the hearing impaired
is often disliked
Reverberation
Time
Problem however is that T depends on volume:

- 0.4 s for a living room
- is 1.8 s for a sports facility if scaled-up
Therefore a better measure is needed:
- STI (Speech Transmission Index): from 0 to 1;
- C50 , U50 (clarity): from -15 dB to +15 dB;
- average (average absorption coefficient): 0 to 1
Still,
ll T is most commonly
l used.
d
Room Acoustics
Influence of Sound Absorbing Materials

absorbed + transmitted
Absorbing
Surface
sound
sound
absorbing material
microphone
Increasing
Absorption
Direct sound not affected
Decrease of
reverberation
time
Amplitu
ude [dB]
80
Multiple reflections:
extra energy loss
60
40
00
0.0
01
0.1
0.2
0
2
time [s]
03
0.3
04
0.4
Speech
Intelligibility and
Musical Clarity
Amplitu
ude [dB]
Boundary:
50 ms: Speech
80 ms: Music
80
60
40
00
0.0
01
0.1
early: energy increase
0.2
0
2
time [s]
03
0.3
04
0.4
late: disturbing noise
Increasing
Absorption
However, total energy

Amplitu
ude [dB]
80
Is reduced
60
Ratio of early to late increases
40
00
0.0
01
0.1
early: energy increase
0.2
0
2
time [s]
03
0.3
04
0.4
late: disturbing noise
Reverberation
Time
Revisited
Should we choose reverberation time as low as

possible?
Yes,
reverberation decreases speech intelligibility
Maybe, but sound pressure level might get too low

No,
people do not like anechoic music
Reverberation
Time
Revisited
Yes
Maybe
or No
Acoustic design is a compromise!

E.g., a theatre is not the same as a concert hall.
Room Acoustics
Absorption Mechanism
Types of
Absorption
Three types of sound absorption are distinguished:

- Friction of molecules in porous material;
- Panel resonance (mass-spring system)
- Perforated panels: Helmholtz resonance + panel
resonance
Types of
Absorption:
transmission
Friction of
Molecules
absorption
incident
reflection
abs. + transm. + refl. = incident
Types of
Absorption:
Friction of
Molecules
Hole size (or specific flow resistance) is essential.
Too open
hardly any friction
OK
Too dense
hardly any entrance
Types of
Absorption:
Friction of
Molecules
Reflection at back wall reduces absorption
reflection at backside
rigid layer, like concrete
absorption material
incident
reflection
but mostlyy needed as structure and for reducing

g
sound transmission.
Friction of
Molecules
Absorption as a function of frequency

1.0
laagdikte
gLayer thickness
4 cm
4 cm
20 000
Ns/m4 20000 Ns/m4
Flow
resistance
0.8
abssorptiecoefficcient
Types of
Absorption:
06
0.6
0.4
fundametals
speech
0.2
harmonics
speech
00
0.0
50
100
200
400
800
1600
3150
frekwentie [Hz]
Friction of
Molecules
Thickness of absorption layer is important as well

1.0
stromingsweerstand
0004Ns/m4
Flow resistance 2000020
Ns/m
0.8
Types of
Absorption:
16
06
0.6
8
4
0.4
laagdikte
1 cm 1 cm
Layer thickness
0.2
Carpet needs to be thick

Acoustic wall paper does not exist
00
0.0
50
100
200
400
800
frekwentie [Hz]
1600
3150
Modern plaster ??
Types of
Absorption:
Panel
Resonance
Paint layers or thin protective films cause shielding

of the material from acoustic waves above the
following frequency:
f shield
0 c0
410
2 f t f 2 f t f
0c0 the
th specific
ifi acoustic
ti iimpedance
d
(kg/m
(k / 2/s)
/ )
ftf the mass of the film (kg/m2)
Types of
Absorption:
Absorption due to resonance of mass-spring system.

Panel
Resonance
(filled) cavity
thin panel
SPRING
MASS
incident
reflection
Types of
Absorption:
Panel
Resonance
Absorption highest near resonance frequency:
f res
s 't
60
plate
0.6 a b d cav
with m the mass of the system (kg/m2)
mplate the mass of the plate (kg/m2)

st the stiffness of the spring (air layer) (N/m3)
dcav the thickness of the cavity (m)
a, b the dimensions of the plate (m)
Panel
Resonance

1.0
laagdikte
g
4 cm
20 000 Ns/m4
0.8
Types of
Absorption:
06
0.6
0.4
0.2
00
0.0
50
100
200
400
800
1600
3150
frekwentie [Hz]
Types of
Absorption:
Absorption due to resonance of mass-spring system.

Perforated
Panels
porous absorber
perforated panel
incident
reflection
Types of
Absorption:
Perforated
Panels
Absorption highest near:
f res
e
54
d plate d cav
with e the degree of perforation (-)
dcav the thickness of the cavity (m)

dplate the thickness of the perforated plate (m)
e should be smaller than 30%
Perforated
Panels

1.0
laagdikte
g
4 cm
20 000 Ns/m4
0.8
Types of
Absorption:
06
0.6
0.4
0.2
00
0.0
50
100
200
400
800
1600
3150
frekwentie [Hz]
Room Acoustics
Some Examples of Absorption Materials
Examples of
Absorbers:
Standard
Office
Lau Nijs
Examples of
Absorbers:
Integrated
Ceiling
Lau Nijs
Examples of
Absorbers:
Absorbing
Plasters
Lau Nijs
Examples of
Absorbers:
Perforated
Panels
Lau Nijs
Examples of
Absorbers:
Carpets
Lau Nijs
Examples of
Absorbers:
Panels
D. Bankersen en L.M. Schaberg

Examples of
Absorbers:
Plants??
Yes, but you
Yes
need a lot of
them
Roby van Praag

Examples of
Absorbers:
Baffles
Lau Nijs
Room Acoustics
Sound Power Level

Sound Pressure Level
Recapitulation
from Previous
Lectures
Several Sound Levels can be defined:
peff2
Sound Pressure Level: L p 10 log
p 2
0
W
Sound Power Level:
LW 10 log
W0
and many more.
p0 = 210-5 Pa
W0 = 110-12 W
Recapitulation
from Previous
Lectures
Sound power is extremely low.
W
LW 10 log
W0
W W0 10
LW
10
Example:
If the source has a sound power level of 80 dBre10-12
then the sound power equals 10-4 W.
One Source in
a Room
diffuse field
source
direct sound
microphone
Direct Sound
Only
2
eff ; direct
0 c0W
4 r 2
source
direct sound
microphone
Diffuse Field
2
eff ; diffuse
4 0 c0W
1
A
microphone
Addition of
Sound
Pressures
2
eff ; direct
0 c0W
4 r 2
2
eff ; diffuse
4 0 c0W
1
A
peff2 ;total peff2 ;direct peff2 ;diffuse

thus (Sabine-Franklin-Jger theory)
1
4 1
Lp LW 10 logg
2
4 r
A
Addition of
Sound
Pressures
2
eff ;total
0 c0W 4 0 c0W
1
2
4 r
A
Divide by p02
peff2 ;total
2
0
0 c0W 4 0 c0W
1
2 2
2
A p0
4 r p0
Since p02 equals 0c0W0, this becomes
peff2 ;total
2
0
W
4W
1
2
4 r W0 A W0
Addition of
Sound
Pressures
This can be rewritten as

2
peff
ff ;total
t t l
p02
4 1
W 1
2
W0 4 r
A
Take the log on both side and multiply with 10
10 log
2
peff
;total
p02
10 log
W0
1
4 1
2
A
4 r
Sound
pressure level
according to
SabineFranklin-Jger
theory
If we rewrite, we get
10 log
2
peff
ff ;ttotal
t l
p02
1
4 1
W
10 log
10 log
2
A
4 r
W0
This equals
1
4 1
Lp LW 10 log
2
4 r
A
Reverberation
Radius
The reverberation radius is defined as the distance

from the source where both the direct and diffuse
sound pressure are equal:
peff2 ;direct peff2 ;diffuse

and thus
rg
16 1
Example
(given earlier)
S (m2)
A (m2)
Ceiling
130
0.5
65
Floor
130
0.1
13
Side wall left
78
0.1
7.8
Side wall right
78
02
0.2
15 6
15.6
Front
60
0.1
Back
60
0.1
Totals
536
Room
13 10 6 m3
113.4
113.4
0.21
536

Lecture room of 13 x 10 x 6 m3 and LW = 86 dB
90
85
0.02
0.05
0.10
0.20
0.50
80
SPL, L p [[dB]
Example
Sound
Pressure
Level
75
70
65
60
55
50
45
40
1
4 1
Lp LW 10 log
2
4 r
A
1.00
10
12
distance from source [m]

90
85
0.02
0.05
0.10
0.20
0.50
80
SPL, L p [[dB]
Example
Sound
Pressure
Level
75
70
65
60
55
High
value is not necessarily
room
1
4 1 a good
50
45
40
Lp LW 10 log
2
4 r
1.00
High
level
means
a lot6 of reverberation
0
2
4
8
10
So again: compromise
must
distance from source
[m]be found
12
Sound
Pressure
Level with
Michael
Barrons
correction
According to Sab.-Fr.-Jg. theory SPL reaches a

constant level far from the sound source. However,
SPL keeps decreasing with increasing distance from
source. Therefore Barron made following correction
1
4
0.040r
Lp LW 10 log
exp
2
A
T
4 r
which can be written as
4 1
1
L p LW 10 log
2
4 r
A
r / mfp
mfp
4V
Stot

90
85
0.02
0.05
0.10
0.20
0.50
80
SPL, L p [[dB]
Example
Sound
Pressure
Level: Sab-FrJag
75
70
65
60
55
1.00
50
45
40
0
10
12

90
85
0.02
0.05
0.10
0.20
80
SPL, L p [[dB]
Example
Sound
Pressure
Level: Barron
75
70
65
0.50
60
55
1.00
50
45
40
0
10
12
Room Acoustics
Speech
Noise in Rooms
Multi-Source Situations
Wanted
Speech +
Noise
wanted speech
receiver
wanted
a ted speec
speech:
- heavily depends on direct sound,
- so room not very important
perceived noise:
- very often in diffuse field,
- so it depends on the room
noise source
Example:
Speech with
Noise
Reverberation chamber speech + radio

Ik
Ik sta hier in de nagalmkamer op 1 m afstand van de
mikrofoon. Op 5 meter afstand van de mikrofoon bevindt
zich een spelend radiootje. Kunt U mij nog verstaan?
Music .
Translation: I am standing here in a reverberation chamber at a

distance of 1 m from a microphone.
microphone At 5 m from this
microphone a radio is playing. Can you still understand me?
Example:
Speech with
Noise
Anechoic room speech + radio

We bevinden ons in de dode kamer. Op 5 meter afstand
van de mikrofoon staat een spelende radio; zelf sta ik op
1 m van de mikrofoon. U merkt wel dat de radio hier
minder
i d hinderlijk
hi d lijk is
i dan
d in
i de
d nagalmkamer.
l k
Music .
Translation: We are now in an anechoic room. At 5 m distance

from the microphone a radio is playing; I myself am standing a
1 m distance from this microphone. You probably observe that
the radio is less annoying than in the reverberation chamber.
Example:
Speech with
Noise
Living room speech + radio

Dit is een stukje tekst opgenomen in een huiskamer die
een tikkeltje galmt. De spreker bevindt zich op 1 m van
de mikrofoon; op 5 m staat een spelend radiootje. U
merkt
kt d
dat,
t voor iiemand
d mett goede
d oren, mijn
ij tekst
t k t well te
t
volgen is, maar aangenaam is anders, zeker als mijn tekst
ook nog veel langer zou duren.
Music .
Translation: This is a piece of text recorded in a living room
which is slightly reverberant. The speaker is distanced 1 m from
the microphone; At 5 m from this microphone is a radio. You
observe that
that, for someone with good ears,
ears my text is intelligible,
intelligible
though not pleasantly, particularly if there would be more text.
Example:
Speech Levels
Vocal effort
Measured at 1 m in front of mouth
Maximum ..........................
Shouting ...........................
Veryy Loud .........................
Loud .................................
Raised Voice ......................
Normal ..............................
Relaxed .............................
90
84
78
72
66
60
54
dB(A)
Some Noise
Levels
Some Noise Levels

Damage to the ears ....................... >80 dB(A)
Normal speech at 1 m ................... 60
Sleep disturbance ........................
Difficult tasks at school or office ....
Traffic noise ................................
Restaurant ..................................
40
35-45
55-75
55-85
Signal to
Noise Ratio
S/N
Wanted sound
Noise
Difference between both levels is excellent first estimation
Noisy space
Signal strength (= direct sound)
1
L p LW 10 log
2
4
n noise sources with equal sound strength
4 1
Lp LW 10 log n 10 log
4n 1
Lp LW 10 log
S/N ratio
Signal
1
L p LW 10 log
2
4
Noise
4n 1
Lp LW 10 log
l
S/N =Signal Noise

Th
ThusacancellationofL
ll ti
f LW
S/N ratio
Signal to noise ratio is then defined as
4n 1
1
10 log
S / N 10 log
2
A
4 r
S/N depends on:

- distance to wanted speaker
- number of noise sources in the room
- total absorption (including guests)
- mean absorption coefficient
r
n
A
Speech
Intelligibility
Minimum level for good ears

Fair
Good
S/N = -6
S/N = 0
S/N =+6
+6
For a whole day at school, higher values required

Also for the hearing impaired
S/N = +15 !!!!!
Example of a
Restaurant
gem
lbh
Signal
Noise
10
0.1
01
13106
13 10 6
59 0
59.0
68.3
68 3
S/N
-9.3
93
The person speaking here is inaudible.

Yet, such spaces are still designed and built.
Minimum level
l
l for
f good
d ears
Fair
Good
S/N = -6
S/
6
S/N = 0
S/N =+6
Ketelhuis
BK-City
Pau Sarquella Fabregas

Example of a
Restaurant (1)
gem
lbh
Signal
Noise
10
0.1
01
13106
13 10 6
59 0
59.0
68.3
68 3
-9.3
93
0.5
10
0.1
13106
65.0
68.3
-3.3
0.25 10
0.1
13106
71.0
68.3
2.7
S/N
Distance to source is an important factor.
Minimum level
l
l for
f good
d ears
Fair
Good
S/N = -6
S/
6
S/N = 0
S/N =+6
Example of a
Restaurant (2)
gem
0.1
01
25
lbh
Signal
Noise
S/N
13106
13 10 6
59 0
59.0
58.3
58 3
07
0.7
0.1
13106
59.0
65.3
-6.3
0.1
13106
59.0
72.3
-13.2
13.2
Number of unwanted sources is important.
Minimum level
l
l for
f good
d ears
Fair
Good
S/N = -6
S/
6
S/N = 0
S/N =+6
Example of a
Restaurant (3)
gem
0.1
01
lbh
Signal
Noise
S/N
13106
13 10 6
59 0
59.0
65.3
65 3
-6.3
63
0.2
13106
59.0
61.3
-2.3
0.3
13106
59.0
59.4
-0.4
0.4
Mean absorption coefficient is important.
Minimum level
l
l for
f good
d ears
Fair
Good
S/N = -6
S/
6
S/N = 0
S/N =+6
Example of a
Restaurant (4)
gem
lbh
Signal
Noise
0.2
02
6.553
65 5 3
59 0
59.0
67.8
67 8
-8.8
88
0.2
13106
59.0
61.7
-2.7
0.2
262012
59.0
55.5
3.5
S/N
Total area is important as well.
Minimum level
l
l for
f good
d ears
Fair
Good
S/N = -6
S/
6
S/N = 0
S/N =+6
S/N ratio
Lombard effect (1911)

People tend to talk louder in a reverberant space.
And the more people are present, the louder they
speak.
However,
this effect is not reflected in the S/N ratio.
Room Acoustics
Auditorium Acoustics: Strength / Loudness
Strength /
Loudness (1)
One measure often used to characterise auditoriums

for music is strength, G.
It is defined as the amount of energy at a certain
position
iti iin th
the room relative
l ti to
t th
the amountt off
energy at a distance of 10 m from the source in an
anechoic room.
t
G 10 log
2
p
eff (t )dt
0
2
p
A,10m (t )dt
0
Strength /
Loudness (2)
G (dB) characterises the influence of the room on

sound pressure level relative to an anechoic
situation.
situation
It can b
be written
itt as
1
4(1
( )
2
A
G 10 log 4 r
1
10
Strength /
Loudness (3)
At a large distance from the sound source (r >2rg)

this can be approximated as
1
4(1 )
2
4(1 )
r
A
4
10 log
G 10 log
31
1
A
4
10
Concert Hall of 20 x 50 x 14 m3
30
too loud,
headaches
0.02
0 05
0.05
0.10
0.20
5.5 dB
4 0 dB
4.0
0 50
0.50
25
Strength, G [dB]
S
Example
Loudness /
Strength
20
15
10
5
0
-5
10
20
30
-10
10
40
50
too weak,
1.00
inaudible
Strength /
Loudness (4)
According to this classical theory, the

strength/loudness becomes constant at large
distance from the source
source.
I reality
In
lit G keeps
k
d
decreasing
i if r increases.
i
A i here
Again
h
Michael
Mi h l Barrons
B
correction
ti applies.
li
Concertgebouw
Amsterdam
Stylos
Room Acoustics
Auditorium Acoustics
Auditorium
Acoustics
More Information on Auditoriums can be found in
More
Information
Lau Nijs
Auditorium
Acoustics
This book contains 100 concert halls from all over

the world.
Among these halls are het Concertgebouw in
A t d
Amsterdam
and
d de
d Doelen
D l in
i Rotterdam.
R tt d
The book also contains questionnaires among
musicians and audience.
Concert Halls
Concertgebouw
Amsterdam
Concert Halls
Doelen
Rotterdam
Concert Halls
Doelen
Rotterdam
Amsterdam versus Rotterdam

year 1888
2037 seats
18780 m3
year 1966
2242 seats
24070 m3
Auditorium
Acoustics
Beranek uses among others 4 measures for

characterising concert halls:
Parameters
- Reverberation time
- Bass ratio
- Strength / Loudness
- Degree of diffusivity
Auditorium
Acoustics
Absorption
A concert hall does not contain much absorption

from its own. Absorption mainly results from
audience
audience.
K t reveration
Kostens
ti equation
ti (D
(Doelen):
l )
V
T
6 1.07 seated area
Auditorium
Acoustics
Bass ratio is defined as a ratio of reverberation times

at different frequencies:
Bass Ratio
T125 T250
BR
T500 T1000
People tend to like that T is longer at lower
f
frequencies.
1.1 < BR < 1.45
for short T (chamber music)
1.1 < BR < 1.25
for long T
(auditorium)
Auditorium
Acoustics
Strength / Loudness has already been defined

previously.
Strength /
Loudness
Auditorium
Acoustics
In a completely diffuse sound field a listener in the

audience feels completely enveloped by the sound.
Diffusivity
To increase diffusivity use scattering elements with
th size
the
i off wave lengths
l
th in
i auditorium
dit i
(50
( 50 cm?)
?)
This
h also
l reduces
d
the
h riskk off echos
h (flutter
(fl
echos)
h )
Auditorium
Acoustics
Very often concert halls are built in a shoebox

shape, like the Musikverein in Vienna:
Shoebox
Shape
- Reduces risk of errors

- More constant distribution of important parameters
across the
th room
- Seats below a balcony often notorious for bad
sound
- Risk of flutter echos between opposite walls
Other shapes are of course possible too.
Auditorium
Acoustics
Two of Beraneks parameters:
Parameters
Revisited
- Strength / Loudness, G: between 4.0 and 5.5 dB
- Reverberation time, T: between 2.0 2.3 s
A simple Excel sheet can now be used as a first

estimate.
Auditorium
Acoustics
With pencil and paper a good estimate of a concert

hall can be made (70% ???)
Modern simulation software is an important tool
(80% ???)
For large
l
auditoriums
d
stillll physical
h
l models
d l are made
d
and tested (90% ???)
The remaining 10% is pure psychology, PR and luck.
End
Thats it for today!
More information on room acoustics can be found here

http://bk.nijsnet.com/
htt //bk ij
t
/ by
b Lau
L Nijs
Nij (Dutch
(D t h only)
l )
Concert and Opera Houses How they sound by
L.L. Beranek
Auditorium Acoustics and Architectural Design by M.
Barron

AR2AE045-RA1 Room Acoustics 1

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ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM

ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM

Architectural Acoustics can be subdivided into

ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM

This lecture focuses on Room Acoustics.

ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM

Sound Reflection in Enclosures

ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM

ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM

ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM

ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM

They are sensitive to Energy or Power

ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM

ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM

ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM

ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM

ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM

draw straight line

ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM

ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM

From the energy balance of a room, Sabine derived

ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM

Energy balance equation of a room:

ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM

Reverberation time is the decay of acoustic energy

the equation becomes

ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM

Assuming p2eff(t) = p2eff(0) at t = 0, the solution to

peff2 (t ) peff2 (0) e

ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM

Since T is defined for a decay of 60 dB, the term on

ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM

Sabines definition however gives problems for high

ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM

Sabine versus Eyring

- Note the minus sign in Eyrings equation

ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM

Sabines and Eyrings reverberation time:

ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM

A room with V/Stot = 3 m

average absorption coefficient [-]

ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM

ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM

Sometimes therefore other intervals are used for

ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM

T is often used as a measure for acoustical quality

ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM

Problem however is that T depends on volume:

ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM

Influence of Sound Absorbing Materials

ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM

ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM

Direct sound not affected

ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM

early: energy increase

late: disturbing noise

ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM

However, total energy

Ratio of early to late increases

early: energy increase

late: disturbing noise

ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM ACOUSTICS ROOM

Should we choose reverberation time as low as