ARCHITECTURAL ACOUSTICS

Architectural acoustics is the science of

controlling sound within buildings. The first
application of architectural acoustics was in
the design of opera houses and then concert
halls..
halls

Architectural acoustics includes room

acoustics,, the design of recording and
acoustics
broadcast studios, home theaters, and
listening rooms for media playback.
 BASIC ACOUSTICAL CONCEPT
Audible range: The normal ear in young adults detects sound having
frequencies in the region 20Hz to 20kHz, although it is possible for
some people to detect frequencies outside these limits.

The musical scale is logarithmic and that the highest note on a piano is
about 4kHz. The lowest note(27.5Hz) comes close to the lower limit of
hearing.

Acoustic shadow: Screening or barriers (of walls, earth mounds,

vegetation, etc.) can create an Acoustical Shadow if the sound is of
high frequency.
Sound shadow: A phenomenon caused by the ABSORPTION or
OBSTRUCTION of a SOUND WAVE by an object in its path. The effect
produced is perceived as a reduction in LOUDNESS depending on the
observers position with respect to the sound source and obstructing
object and is greatest when the three are aligned.
 SOUND PROPAGATION

Sound propagates through air as a

longitudinal wave. The speed of sound
is determined by the properties of the
air, and not by the frequency or
amplitude of the sound. Sound waves,
as well as most other types of waves,
can be described in terms of the
following basic wave phenomena.
SOUND PROPAGATION
 BEHAVIOUR OF SOUND
Boundary Behavior: As a sound wave travels through a
medium, it will often reach the end of the medium and
encounter an obstacle or perhaps another medium through
which it could travel. When one medium ends, another medium
begins; the interface of the two media is referred to as the
boundary and the behaviour of a wave at that boundary is
described as its boundary behaviour. There are essentially four
possible behaviours which a wave could exhibit at a boundary:
Reflection (the bouncing off of the boundary),
Diffraction (the bending around the obstacle without crossing
over the boundary),
Transmission (the crossing of the boundary into the new
material or obstacle), and
Refraction (occurs along with transmission and is
characterized by the subsequent change in speed and
direction).
 MECHANICS OF SOUND
TRANSMISSION
What is sound and what is a sound wave?
Sound is the movement of air particles created by a vibrating source.
Air particles are in constant random motion, exerting very small pressure variations
around the steady-
steady-state atmospheric pressure.
Each particle is subject to both an inertial force (due to its mass and acceleration) and a
force which tends to restore the particle to its resting position (due to the elasticity of the
medium).
When an object - a sound source - is set into vibration, each air particle moves to and fro
about its average position along an axis parallel to the direction in which the wave
propagates.
Air particles themselves do no move very far, they simply transfer pressure changes by
what is referred to as sound propagation.
This constitutes what we call a 'sound wave' which moves away from the sound source at a
velocity determined by the medium.
The velocity of propagation of a sound wave in air is about 344 meters per second, while in
water it is 1437 m/s.
Sound waves move out spherically from a point source of sound, and as
they do so they become less intense.
Sound pressure is inversely proportional to distance from the source as
long as the sound does not encounter obstacles, like the head and external
ears for example.
Obstacles, which create a change in the medium, impede or resist the
propagation of sound.
When a sound waved encounters an obstacle or change in medium, a
portion of the sound wave is reflected from the surface.
That portion of a sound wave not reflected from an obstacle is absorbed
and continues to be propagated through the new medium.
Reflectance of a sound is at the heart of our understanding of the action of
the middle ear, whose purpose is to overcome the impedance mismatch at
the interface of air and fluid of the inner ear.
Reflected sound may encounter the original sound wave and, depending on
the relative timing of the two, they may either reinforce or cancel one
another.
Sound waves may also be diffracted, which means that, depending on the
frequency of the sound, they are able to wrap around small or medium-
medium-size
objects.
Reflectance and diffraction are two principle ways that sound waves are
altered by the head.
REFLECTION OF SOUND WAVE
The amount of energy which becomes reflected is
dependent upon the dissimilarity of the two medium.
The more similar that the two medium on each side
of the boundary are, the less reflection which occurs
and the more transmission which occurs.
Conversely, the less similar that the two medium on
each side of the boundary are, the more reflection
which occurs and the less transmission which
occurs. So if a heavy rope is attached to a light rope
(two very dissimilar medium), little transmission and
mostly reflection occurs. And if a heavy rope is
attached to another heavy rope (two very similar
medium), little reflection and mostly transmission
occurs
REFLECTION OF SOUND WAVE
 REFLECTION OF SOUND WAVE
Reflection of sound waves off of surfaces can lead to
one of two phenomenon - an echo or a reverberation.
reverberation.

But reflection of sound waves in auditoriums and

concert halls do not always lead to displeasing
results, especially if the reflections are designed
right.. Smooth walls have a tendency to direct sound
right
waves in a specific direction. Rough walls tend to
diffuse sound, reflecting it in a variety of directions.
This allows a spectator to perceive sounds from
every part of the room, making it seem lively and full.
For this reason, auditorium and concert hall
designers prefer construction materials which are
rough rather than smooth.
REFLECTION OF SOUND WAVE
 DIFFRACTION OF SOUND
WAVES
Diffraction involves a change in direction of
waves as they pass through an opening or
around a barrier in their path.
The amount of diffraction (the sharpness of
the bending) increases with increasing
wavelength and decreases with decreasing
wavelength.
Diffraction of sound waves is commonly
observed; we notice sound diffracting
around corners or through door openings,
allowing us to hear others who are speaking
to us from adjacent rooms.
 REFRACTION OF SOUND
WAVES
Refraction of waves involves a change in the
direction of waves as they pass from one medium to
another. Refraction, or bending of the path of the
waves, is accompanied by a change in speed and
wavelength of the waves. So if the medium (and its
properties) are changed, the speed of the waves are
changed. Thus, waves passing from one medium to
another will undergo refraction. Refraction of sound
waves is most evident in situations in which the
sound wave passes through a medium with
gradually varying properties.
 Diffraction is the change in the direction of the propagation of
sound waves passing the edge of the obstacle as illustrated in the

following figure:

Diffraction
phenomenon depends
significantly on the
ratio of the wavelength
of the sound to the size
of the obstacle. The
longer the wavelength
the stronger the sound
diffraction. Diffraction
effect happens to the
sound transmitted
through openings as
well.