ARCHITECTURAL

ACOUSTICS
MAN, SPACE AND SOUND
Architectural Acoustics: An Introduction

Architectural Acoustics is the art and technique of

designing spaces, structures and mechanical systems to
meet hearing needs.
The architect must deal primarily with the external
human senses of sight, touch and hearing when
designing the environment of the building.
Knowledge of the concepts of architectural acoustics,
the study of everything which concerns hearing in
and around buildings, will enable the designer to
properly integrate the requirements of sound control with
the requirements of other building functions.

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 It is essential that the designer be prepared to recognize
and solve acoustical problems from the very earliest
design stages of a project.

Equipped with a knowledge of the concepts of

architectural acoustics, the architectural designer can
identify acoustical conditions requiring professional
assistance and engage in productive collaborative work
with all the members of the project design team.

The goal of architectural acoustics is to make the

environment best serve the functions intended, such as
work, relaxation or sleep.

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Essential Elements of Architectural Acoustics

1. Room Acoustics 3. Sound Isolation

a. Volume a. Site consideration
b. Interior Surface Shapes b. Location of activities within the
c. Surface Material Selection and building
Placement c. Wall, floor & ceiling construction
d. Audience Seating and and barriers
Furnishings d. Background sound levels
e. Coordination with room acoustics
2. Sound Reinforcement
System 4. Mechanical System
a. Compatibility with room acoustics Noise Control
b. Loudspeaker selection and a. Vibration isolation
placement
b. Duct treatment
c. System controls and components
c. Equipment selection
d. Background Noise Generation

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 Room Acoustics

Surface Material Selection

Interior Surface Shapes / Audience

Seating and Furnishing
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Room Volume
 Sound
Reinforcement
Systems

Loudspeaker selection & Placement

Compatibility with Room Acoustics

Danilo V. Ravina CAFA System controls & components

Sound Isolation

Wall, Floor & Ceiling Construction

and Barriers

Background Sound Levels

Site Consideration / Coordination

with Room Acoustics
Location of Activities within the Danilo V. Ravina CAFA
building
Mechanical System
Equipment
Selection

Background Noise Generation

Duct
Treatment

Danilo V. Ravina CAFA Vibration Isolation

 The Physics of Acoustics
What is Sound?
Sound is an oscillation in
presence of the atmosphere
which is capable of being
detected by the human ear.
It is a form of energy propagated
in waves that continues to
subsist until filtered through a
material turning into heat by
friction.
Sound is the sensation produced
through the ear resulting from
fluctuations in the pressure of
the air.

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 What is the Nature of
Sound?
The nature of sound, in
order to be heard,
requires the following
elements:
1. Source of sound
2. Medium or
Transmission Path
3. Receiver
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Source of Sound
Source of Sound is
normally a vibrating body,
which converts some
other form of energy into
vibration. The source can
be made quitter.
The word transducer is
often used as a generic
term for devices used in
converting some form of
energy into sound such
as loudspeakers and
microphones.
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Transmission Path
Transmission path is any
substance that allows the
vibration to be transmitted
in the form of a wave
motion. The transmission
can be made to transmit
more or less sound.
Sounds that are
transmitted by air are
called airborne sounds.
Sounds that are
transmitted through solid
bodies are called
structureborne sounds.

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Receiver
Receiver pertains with
the human ear.
The receiver can be
influenced.

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What are the types of Sound?
The types of sound are:
1. Music can be
classified as ordered
sound since it is
integrated.
2. Speech can also be
considered as ordered
sound since it is also
integrated.
3. Noise is classified as
disordered sound, as in
street noise.

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The Sound Wave
Sound Vibrations are
longitudinal waves.
They can be pure tone or
a complex sound.
A pure tone is sound
dominated by energy in a
single frequency, and is
described by a single
smooth sine curve.
Pure tones can only be
produced electronically.
Complex sounds are
those of speech,
music and noise.
Most sounds in the
everyday world are
complex, consisting of
a variety of pressures
which vary in time.

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The Pure Tone Sound Wave and
The Complex Sound Wave

Pure Tone Sound Wave

Complex Sound Wave

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 Cycle the full circuit by
Parts of the the particle.
Sound Wave Frequency the number
of complete cycles per
second, measured in
hertz (Hz).
Amplitude the
maximum displacement
of a particle.
Period the time required
for one complete
vibration, measured in
seconds per cycle.
Wavelength the
distance a sound wave
travels during one cycle
of vibration.
Sounds with wavelengths ranging from 12mm to 15,000mm can be heard by humans.
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 The Properties of Sound
The properties of sound
are:
1. Speed or Velocity
2. Frequency (Pitch or
Tone)
3. Power (Intensity or
Loudness)
4. Threshold of Audibility
5. Threshold of pain
6. Directionality of Sound
Sources

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 *Speed or Velocity of Sound
Medium Speed of Sound
Velocity is the speed of in meters per
second
sound that varies greatly
Air @ 20 Degrees 330
according to the medium Centigrade
the waves travel in and Concrete 3,500
slightly according to the
temperature of the Water 1,350
medium.
Steel 4,600
Sound travels in the air at
330 meters per second Glass 4,750
at normal temperature Brick 3,450
(20 degrees Centigrade)
Aluminum 5,540
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 *Frequency or Pitch or Tone
In sound, Frequency is
often referred to by a
term borrowed from
musical concepts Pitch.
The higher the frequency,
the higher the pitch.
The sounds frequency is
its number of vibration in
cycles per second, also
known as Hertz (Hz).
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The approximate
frequency range of a
healthy persons is 20 to
20,000 Hz.
Humans are most
sensitive to sounds
having significant energy
in the 500 to 4000 Hz.
Low frequency sounds of
about 16 to 500 Hz are
called rumble, while high
frequency sounds of
1,000 to 8,000 Hz are
referred to as hissy.
Frequency Range of Common Sound
Condition Frequency Range Frequency of
A healthy young person 20 to 20,000 Hz
is capable of hearing Sound and its
Human speech 125 to 8,000 Hz Wavelength
Male Voice 350 to 500 Hz The relationship
between wavelength,
Female Voice 700 to 900 Hz frequency and speed
The Octave Frequency 63, 125, 250, 500, of a sound is
Bands 1000, 2000, 4000 & expressed as;
8000 Hz
w=v/f
AM Radio 250 500 Hz
where: w = wavelength (m)
Jet engine 1,000 Hz v = velocity (m/s)
Siren 2,000 Hz f = frequency (Hz)
*Sounds with wavelengths
Chirping bird 4,000 Hz
ranging from 12mm to
Chirping insect 8,000 Hz 15,000mm can be heard
by humans.
Squeaking door 10,000 Hz

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Sound Pressure Level: Power, Intensity
or Loudness
Sound power level, also known A sound pressure level of
as sound intensity, is its 0 dB = 0.0207 uP or
loudness or impact of its
pulsating waves against
0.000000003 psi
eardrums, measured in and
decibels (db).
120 dB = 20,700 uP or
This is the most often used
0.03 psi
description and measurement
of sound relative to human Sound pressure levels
sensitivity as to pressure. changes with distance
Its unit of measure is in uP from a sound source.
(micropascal) or psi (pounds
per square inch.
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Loudness Level of Common Loud
Recognized Sounds
70 dB Aircraft cabin during
Painful flight, speech
60 dB Highway traffic, inside
140 dB Jet engine @ 23 meters general office, baby
away crying, speech
130 dB Threshold of pain; jet Moderate
aircraft @ takeoff (91 meters
away) 50 dB Office activities
120 dB Threshold of feeling; Typing, inside private
40 dB
thunder, siren, hard rock office
Deafening Faint
110 dB Accelerating motorcycle, 30 dB Bird singing, inside
rock band bedroom
100 dB Auto horn, chainsaw 20 dB Whisper

Very Loud Very Faint

90 db Pneumatic tools, shouting 10 dB Rustling leaves,

human breathing
80 db Threshold of hearing loss 0 dB Threshold of
(long term exposure) hearing (Audibility)
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Changes in Intensity Level Change in Apparent Loudness

1 dB Almost imperceptible

3 dB Just perceptible

5 dB Clearly noticeable

10 dB Twice (or ) as loud

18 dB Very much louder (or quiter)

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 END

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