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Architectural Acoustics Definitions

The document discusses key concepts in architectural acoustics including the goals of creating good acoustics in buildings through promoting communication and acoustic privacy. It defines important acoustic terms like sound, sound pressure, sound power, and introduces concepts like masking, noise criteria, reverberation time, and subjective acoustic qualities like clarity and intimacy. Key factors that influence indoor acoustics are also outlined such as the inverse square law, direct and reverberant sound fields, echoes, diffusion, focusing, and standing waves.

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jay-ar soriano
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30 views

Architectural Acoustics Definitions

The document discusses key concepts in architectural acoustics including the goals of creating good acoustics in buildings through promoting communication and acoustic privacy. It defines important acoustic terms like sound, sound pressure, sound power, and introduces concepts like masking, noise criteria, reverberation time, and subjective acoustic qualities like clarity and intimacy. Key factors that influence indoor acoustics are also outlined such as the inverse square law, direct and reverberant sound fields, echoes, diffusion, focusing, and standing waves.

Uploaded by

jay-ar soriano
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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architectural acoustics

science of controlling sound in buildings

goals of creating good acoustics in buildings

promote good communication between people and provide acoustical privacy

sound

minute disturbances in the air caused by a vibrating object

speed of sound

rate at which the sound wave travels

sound pressure

small pressure fluctuations over atmospheric pressure (Pa)

sound power

rate of the energy output of a sound source (watt)

sound intensity

sound passing through a unit area (watt per unit area)

masking

situation where a desired sound signal is masked or drowned out by background sound

noise criteria

based on the concept of equal loudness

room criteria

can specify neutral, rumble, and/or hiss for the sound spectrum balance, more rigorous
requirements at low and high frequencies

free field

no boundaries (outside), receives only direct sound


reverberation field

consists of reflected sound in an enclosed space

near field

receiver distance (R) is approximate to source sizes

far field

receiver distance (R) is greater than source sizes

specular reflection

follows Snell's Law like reflection of light

diffuse reflection

incident sound reflected in multiple directions

noise reduction coefficient (NRC)

average of coefficient in 4 middle frequency octave bands

reverberation time

time required for SPL to decrease by 60dB after the sound source has stopped

auralization

creation of audible acoustic scenarios from computer-generated data

subjective qualities

clarity, intimacy, warmth, spaciousness

clarity

how clear the sound qualities

intimacy

feeling of being close to the source of the music

warmth
cozy smoothness to the music

spaciousness

feeling of being enveloped in the music

inverse square law

6dB reduction for each doubling of the distance

direct sound field

sound that transmits from the source to the receiver, no reflections at boundaries, directly related
to Inverse Square Law, SPL of this field is totally independent of the room

reverberant sound field

sound wave that arrives after two or more reflections, both source and surface directivity don't
affect this ideal field

echoes/early reflection

caused when reflected sound at a sufficient intensity reaches a listener more than 50 ms after he
or she has heard the direct sound

flutter

perceived as a buzzing or clicking sound, comprised of repeating echoes traversing back and
forth between two nonabsorbing parallel surfaces

diffusion

reflected sound from convex or rough surface

focusing

reflected sound from concave domes, vaults, walls

creep

reflection of a sound along a curved surface from a source near the surface

standing wave
when a steady, pure tone is the source and the parallel walls are spaced apart at some integral
multiple of a half-wavelength

Haas Effect

early reflection enforces intelligibility as it integrates nicely with the direct sound

transmission loss

sound energy lost through a construction assembly

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