1. Acoustical Design
By Ar. Sarthak Kaura

2. What is Noise?
In daily life, noise means unwanted
sound.
unwanted sounds can include
distractions, sounds that are loud
enough to damage hearing and even
sound leakage that could affect privacy.
In architecture, one of the many goals of the designer is to create rooms and buildings that
maximize sound performance. This means that unwanted sounds should be prevented, and
desired sounds should be enhanced.

3. Sources of Noise
The two major sources of noise in architecture are:
1.Airborne noise, or sound waves transmitted from a source to a receiver through the
air.
2.Structure-borne noise is caused by vibration from within the building caused by
footsteps or machines. The vibration is directly transferred through the building’s
structures and materials.
A. The sound of a plane’s engine is a kind of exterior airborne sound that may affect
communities near airports.
B. The MTR’s operating systems are quiet, but the vibration of the train rail generates exterior
structure-borne noise.
C. In a gymnasium, cheering spectators may cause interior airborne noise to the surrounding
rooms, while the athletes’ activities generate interior structure-borne noise.
A B C

4. Noise transmission paths
Sound waves travel from the source to the receiver via
multiple paths. Altering the paths of sound transmission is a
common way to control noise in architecture.
When sound strikes on a surface, part of the sound reflects off
the wall surface back into the space, and part of it is
transmitted through the wall to the space beyond.
An air gap can stop the transmission
of sound effectively.
How is unwanted sound
transmitted in this diagram?

5. What is acoustics?
“a science that deals with the production, control,
transmission, reception, and effects of sound.”
it 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.
Acoustic materials
COMMERCIAL and CUSTOM DESIGNED building materials and
surface treatment which contribute significantly to acoustical
control or to noise reduction

6. Acoustical Design
“Proper acoustical planning
eliminates many acoustical problems before they
are built”
Lee Irvine

7. Acoustical Design Relationships
Site
Location
Orientation
Planning
Internal Layout

8. Site
Match site to application
Match application to site

9. Site
Factory:
• Close to RR/Hwy

10. Site
Concert Hall:
• Use building as isolator
• Distance from noise

11. Location
Take advantage of distance/barriers
Distance

12. Location
Take advantage of distance/barriers
Natural or Man-made Berm

13. Location
Take advantage of distance/barriers
Acoustical Barriers

14. Location
Take advantage of distance/barriers
Building

15. Orientation
Orient Building for Acoustical Advantage
Playground School

16. Orientation
Orient Building for Acoustical Advantage
Parking Lot Factory
Office
Note: Sound is 3-dimensional,
check overhead for
flight paths

17. Planning
Consider Acoustical Sensitivity of Activities
Noisy Quiet
Barrier

18. Planning
Consider Acoustical Sensitivity of Activities
Critical
Non-Critical
Noise

19. Basic Acoustic Goals
1. Provide adequate isolation
2. Provide appropriate acoustic environment
3. Provide appropriate internal function
4. Integrate 1-3 amongst themselves and into
comprehensive architectural design

20. 1. Sound proofing:-If the objective is to stop
sound from entering or leaving a space,
then you will most likely need sound
blocking or soundproofing.
2. Sound absorbing:-If the objective is to
enhance the properties of sound by
improving speech clarity and sound
quality, then the answer is sound
absorption or acoustic enhancement.
3. Sound damping:- Sound damping
materials lower structure-borne noise
levels by reducing the resonant vibrational
energy within metal, wood, glass, ceramic
and surfaces.
Acoustical materials can be
divided in 3 typologies:-

21. • Sound is reflected, transmitted, or absorbed by the materials it encounters.
• Soft surfaces, such as textiles, and fibre glass, tend to absorb sound waves,
preventing them from further motion.
• Hard surfaces, such as ceramic tile, gypsum board, or wood, tend to reflect sound
waves, causing ‘echo’. Reverberation is the term used to describe sound waves that
are reflected off of surfaces.
• Dense, massive materials, such as concrete or brick, tend to transmit sound waves
through the material.
It is very important to distinguish between sound absorption and sound transmission loss.
Sound absorbing materials control sound within spaces and function by allowing sound to pass
through them relatively easily. They are generally porous and absorb sound as a result of many
interactions. Conversely, a material or system, that provides a good sound transmission loss is
usually non-porous and a good reflector of sound.

22. METHODS Of ABSORPTION
Frictional Flexural Resonating

23. General Classifications Of Materials:
Porous Materials
Panel or Membrane Absorbers
Cavity (Helmholtz) Resonators
Categories of Commercial Materials:
Various types of perforated, fissured, or textured materials constitute typical
units in this group
Commonly used materials include:
Acoustical Boards
Acoustic Hangers
Geocoustic Tiles/ acoustical tiles
Foam sound absorber

24. Acoustical boards
Characteristic features
▪ Sound Deadening
▪ Sound Absorbing
▪ Insulating
▪ Low Cost
MATERIAL: Recycled Wood Fiber Residue.
PANEL SIZE: 2' x 4' or 4'x 8'
APPLICATIONS: Acoustical-Board can be used
as a Flooring Underlayment or as a Damping
Layer between Studs and Gypsum ,Schools,
Apartments Buildings, Townhouses

25. ACOUSTICAL BOARDS
Advantages
Trade catalogs contain detailed specifications
Easy installation and maintenance
Flexible absorption
Difficult to conceal joints between units
Soft structure subject to damage
Paint redecoration harmful to absorption
Disadvantages

26. ACOUSTIC HANGERS
Acoustic Hangers - a system of
fiber-board panels that are
wrapped with insulation and
are hung freely using wire or
rope.
Sample of Acoustic Hangers

27. Acoustical Noise Reduction Blanket/
Absorptive/Noise Barrier Quilted Curtains
•Acoustical Blankets offer an effective,
economical method of noise reduction in a
wide variety of industrial, & architectural
community.
Description
MATERIAL: Melamine Foam or fiberglass core, faced
with quilted aluminized fabric. Optional Noise
Barrier Septum.
PATTERN: Quilted Diamond Pattern FEATURES:
Effective and durable sound absorber with mass
loaded vinyl barrier option. APPLICATIONS: Used as
an economical, effective noise barrier and sound
absorber to enclose many types of noise sources or
work areas. The curtains can be custom fabricated to
almost any application. Can be used in exterior
applications, waste water treatment facilities,
industrial, commercial & residential applications.
THICKNESS: 1”, 2”, 3", 4" SIZES: 48” & .54” Wide;
Lengths up to 25’ (Custom Sizes Available)
COLOR: Silver
Characteristic features
• Equipment Enclosures
• Cost Effective Room Dividers
• Water & Chemical Resistant
• Exterior Applications

28. RIZVI COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE
Acoustical Ceiling tiles:-
The acoustic tiles are offered in a large
variety of patterns, designs, colours and
facings.
Characteristic features
• No Fiberglass-Non-Fibrous
• Moisture Resistant-Indoor-Outdoor
• Impact Resistant
• Light Weight Ceiling Tiles
Description of Acoustical Ceiling Tiles
MATERIAL: Semi Rigid Porous Expanded
Polypropylene Acoustical Bead Foam (P.E.P.P.).
PATTERN: Non scratchy, Slightly Textured,
Porous
FEATURES: Lightweight, Impact Resistant,
Moisture, Bacteria & Fungi Resistant.
APPLICATIONS: Gymnasiums, Auditoriums,
Classrooms, Swimming Pools, Ice
Arenas, Clean Rooms, Food Processing Plants,
Food Prep Areas, Cafeterias & Restaurants etc.
THICKNESS: 1” & 2”
SIZES: Nominal 2’x2’, 2’x4’; Custom Sizes
Available
COLOR: White, Charcoal

29. Acoustical Wall Fabrics:-
• Acoustical Wall Fabric is a soft, attractive, sound-
absorbing wall covering.
• The acoustical fabric is made of a solution-dyed
polypropylene fibre for its inherent stain resistance,
durability and easy maintenance.
• is available in a wide variety of colours and is easily
applied with a heavy-duty wall-covering adhesive
leaving a seamless finish.
• acoustical fabric has a sound absorption rating of
NRC .20, it is Class 1 fire rated as well as mold and
mildew resistant.
Acoustical Stretch Fabrics:-
•Stretch Fabric is designed and
engineered for sound
transmissibility and aesthetic
appearance.
•The acoustically transparent
material works very well as a
speaker cover, acoustical panel
cover, or acoustical stretch wall
cover.

30. Acoustical Foam :-
•Acoustical foam panels are used as a sound
absorber to reduce reverberation and echoes.
• Acoustic foam is commonly used in recording
studio design, edit rooms, broadcast studios and
home studio settings.
• Acoustic foam panels are inexpensive and are
available in many different colours and patterns.

31. Sound Blocking Materials
Audioseal Sound Barrier
•Audioseal Sound Barrier is a sound transmission blocker
that reduces sound from transmitting through walls, floors
and ceilings.
• It is a limp-mass material made of high-temperature fused
vinyl and no lead fillers.
• Audioseal Sound Barrier is very dense, weighing one pound
per square foot.
• This mass is what allows the Audioseal Barrier to be so
effective at reducing airborne noise from transmitting into
your space or inside noise transmitting out of your space.

32. RIZVI COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE
Acoustic Floor Underlayment:-
•acoustic floor underlayment material made up
of extruded nylon filaments which form a three
dimensional core that has a nonwoven fabric heat
bonded to its upper surface.
•The durable, yet pliable, construction of sound
control matting lowers both structural and
airborne sound transmission by its ability to
convert and store vibrational energy.
Recommended applications for floor
underlayment include commercial and
residential multi-story buildings such as
apartments, office buildings, hotels, schools,
athletic floors and more
•underlayment can be installed over wood
or concrete sub floor and can be installed
under hardwood, vinyl, tile and carpet
flooring.

33. SPACE ABSORBERS
Space Absorbers- Sound absorbing objects which are suspended from the ceiling, used
when regular boundary enclosures of an auditorium do not provide a suitable or adequate
area for conventional acoustical treatment.

34. VARIABLE ABSORBERS
Variable Absorbers- Sliding, hinged, movable, and rotatable panels constructed to
expose either absorptive or reflective surfaces.