ACOUSTICS

Acoustics deals with the production, propagation and detection of sound waves

Classification of sound:
(i)Infrasonic20Hz(Inaudible)
(ii)Audible20to20,000Hz(MusicandNoise)(iii)
Ultrasonic20,000Hz(Inaudible)

Characteristics of Musicalsound:
(i) Pitch or frequency
Frequency: numberof vibrations of sound producingobject/second
Pitch:- adegreeof sensation depends on frequency
Highfrequency–shrillsound-
voiceofladies,children,mosquitoLowfrequency-gravesound-
soundbylion
(ii) Quality or Timbre
- abilityto distinguish b/w anytwo or moremusicalsound havingsame pitchand frequency

- smallestfrequencyiscalledfundamentalandfrequenciesaccompanyingfundamentalare called
overtones.

(iii) Intensity or Loudness

Intensity: amount of sound energyflowingper secper unit area
I=Q/Awatt/m2
Loudness: degree of sensation varies from one observer from other
WEBER-FECHNERLAW
▪loudness is directlyproportional to thelogarithm of intensity
LαlogI
L=KlogI
where k is a constant.

DECIBELo
o Theintensitylevel(L)of sound is expressed in bel.
Comparativelybel is a large unit,so for convenience, one tenth of bel is called a decibel
(db)
o 1bel=10decibel=10dbInten
sitylevel IL=10log10(I1/I0)
ACOUSTICS OFBUILDINGS
▪dealswithdesignandconstructionofhall▪hallso
rroomsareacousticallypoordueto
• distributionofintensityisnotuniform
•
differentfrequencyofsoundinterfereatsomepointreducesthequality▪toget
goodacousticalbuilding,factorstobeconsidered
oReverberationtime
oFocusingandinterferenceoE
choesandEcheloneffectoReso
nanceand
oExtraneousnoise

Reverberation: persistenceor prolongation of sound in a hall even after

the sound sourceis stopped

ReverberationTime:time taken bythe soundwaveto fall below the minimum

audibilityleveli.e.,tofalltoonemillionthofitsinitialinten
sity, after thesourceis stopped

I=10-6Io or I/Io=10-6

Sabine’s Formula for Reverberation Time

- ProfessorWallaceC.Sabine(1868–1919) derived fromreverberation theorywhich explains the

natureof growth and decayof sound energy.

Assumptions :

➢ The sound energyis uniformlydistributed throughout the hall

➢ The absorption of soundbytheair is neglected
➢ The source emits the sound energyconstantly.

Steps involved:

1.calculatetherateofincidentenergyonthewallsandtherateofabsorptionbythewallsin terms of average

energydensityE
2.calculate the final steadyvalue of E in terms ofaverage energydensity
3.calculate the final steadyvalue of E in terms ofrate of emission of power Pof the source.
4.obtain an expression for therate ofgrowth and decayof sound energyin a room.
5.obtain the reverberation time.
• Consider asmall element‘ds’ on aplane wall AB •
Sound energyreceived by‘ds’ is E
• Draw twoconcentric circles of radii ‘r’ and ‘r+dr’from centre point ‘O’
• Consider asmall shadedportion lyingbetween circles having  and +d from normal •
Ifradial length= dr Arclength = rd
Areaofshadedportion=rd dr …(1)
• Ifthewholefigureisrotatedaboutthenormalthroughanangled,thenareaofshadedportion travel a
distance of dx
dx=rsin d …(2)
Volume traced byashaded portion dV = areaX distance
=rddrrsind
=r2sinddrd …(3)
Sound energypresent in this volume =ExdV
=Er2sind drd Th
issoundenergytravelsinallthedirectionthroughthiselement.
𝐄𝐫 𝟐𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐝𝐫𝐝
Sound energypresent in this volume dV/unit solid angle= 𝟒𝝅
𝒅𝑺𝑪𝒐𝒔
Solid angle subtended bythe areadS at this element of vol.dV is
𝒓𝟐

Sound energytravellingtowards dS from dV is

= 𝐄𝐫 𝟐𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐝𝐫𝐝𝒅𝑺𝑪𝒐𝒔
.
𝟒𝝅 𝒓𝟐
 = 𝐄𝐬𝐢𝐧𝑪𝒐𝒔𝐝𝐝𝐫𝒅𝑺𝐝
𝟒𝝅
…(4)
TofindthetotalenergybydSinonesec,Integratetheeqn.(4)forwholevolumelyingwithina distanceof C ofdS,
=0to2
=0to/2
r=0toC

Energyreceived/sec=
w.r.t.‘’ = 𝐄𝐬𝐢𝐧𝑪𝒐𝒔𝐝𝐝𝐫𝒅𝑺

∫𝟐𝝅 𝐝
𝟒𝝅𝟎
=
𝐄𝐬𝐢𝐧𝑪𝒐𝒔𝐝𝐝𝐫𝒅𝑺𝟒𝝅
𝟐𝝅
𝐄𝐬𝐢𝐧𝑪𝒐𝒔𝐝𝐝𝐫𝒅𝑺𝟐
=
𝐄𝐝𝐫𝒅𝑺𝝅/𝟐
𝟐
∫𝐬𝐢𝐧𝑪𝒐𝒔𝐝
w.r.t ′′ = 𝐄𝐝𝐫𝒅𝑺𝝅/𝟐
𝟒
∫𝟐𝐬𝐢𝐧𝑪𝒐𝒔𝐝
X and  by2 = 𝐄𝐝𝐫𝒅𝑺𝝅/𝟐

𝟒
∫𝐬𝐢𝐧𝟐𝐝
=
𝐄𝐝𝐫𝒅𝑺𝟒
=
𝐄𝒅𝑺𝒄
𝟒
∫
𝐝𝐫
w.r.t. ‘r’ = 𝐄𝐂
𝒅𝑺 …(5)
𝟒
=

Let‘a’ be the absorptioncoefficient ofwall.

Then, 𝟏
𝟒
𝐄𝐂𝐚𝒅𝑺
Sound energyabsorbed bydS in one sec = 𝟏 𝟏
𝐄𝐂𝐚𝒅𝑺= 𝐄𝐂𝐀 …(6)
𝟒 𝟒
Total energyabsorbedat anytime =
If‘P’ is the rate of emission of sound energy, then,
𝟏
P= EmaxCA or …(7)
𝟒

Rate of Growth and Decay

Totalrateofenergyincreaseinmedium:
Energydensity =E
Total volume ofthe Hall =V
Total sound energy=EV
Rate of growth of sound energy = d(EV)/ dt = V dE/dt
W.K.T,
Rate of emission of sound energy=Rate of growth of sound energy+
Rate of absorption of sound energy
𝒅𝑬 𝟏
P + 𝐄𝐂𝐀
=V 𝒅𝒕 𝟒

𝑷 𝒅𝑬
= + 𝐂𝐀 𝐄
𝑽 𝒅𝒕 𝟒𝑽
𝐂𝐀 𝐂𝐀
Let 𝟒𝑽=or =𝑽 𝟒
𝒅𝑬𝟒𝑷𝒅𝒕𝐂𝐀
+𝐄= 
Xlyeton boththe sides,
𝒅𝑬 t -t 𝟒𝑷
𝒅𝒕
e +e 𝐄=  𝐂𝐀
et
𝒅 𝟒𝑷
(𝑬et)=𝐂𝐀 etInte
𝒅
gratingthe above eqn. weget,
𝟒𝑷
𝑬et= 𝐂𝐀et+K …(8)
Growthof Energy
During Growth, t = 0, E =0
From eqn. (8) ,
𝟒𝑷
K=-
𝑪𝑨

Then, 𝑬e= t𝟒𝑷t𝟒𝑷

e- 𝐂𝐀𝑪𝑨
𝟒
𝑬et= (e
𝐂𝐀
t–1)

𝑬 =Emax(1 –e-t)
E increases until E = Emaxand t = 

Decayof Energy
Ifsound energyis cut off,
rate of emission P= 0
t=0
E
=EmaxFrom eqn.(8) ,
K=Emaxth
en,
𝟒𝑷
𝑬et= 𝐂𝐀et+EmaxSi
nce P = 0𝑬et=Emax
 𝑬 =Emaxe-t, even though sourceis cutoff, energydecreasesexponentially
Reverberationtime
Bydefinition, E =Emax/106

from deacyof energy,𝑬 =Emaxe-t

Emax/106=Emaxe-t

10-6=e-t

Takelogonbothsides,loge10-6=-t

-6x2.3026log1010=-t

t=6x2.3026 𝐂𝐀
t=T,then,
 = 𝟒𝑽
𝐂𝐀𝐓
𝟒𝑽
=𝟔𝐱𝟐. 𝟑𝟎𝟐𝟔

𝟒𝐕𝐱𝟔𝐱𝟐.𝟑𝟎𝟐𝟔
𝐓=
𝐂𝐀

= 𝟎.𝟏𝟔𝟕𝐕
𝐀

ABSORPTIONCOEFFICIENT

- Reciprocal of its areawhich absorbs the sameamount of sound energyabsorbed byunit areaof
open window

𝑆𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦𝑎𝑏𝑠𝑜𝑟𝑏𝑒𝑑𝑏𝑦𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑇𝑜
- Absorption coeffeicient=
𝑡𝑎𝑙𝑠𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑡

- measured in OWU or Sabine.

Determination of Absorption Coefficient:

- without sound absorbing material

0.167𝑉
𝑇=
1
Σ𝑎𝑠

- with sound absorbingmaterial

0.167𝑉
𝑇=
2
Σ𝑎𝑠+𝑎𝑚 𝑠𝑚

- from T2-T1,
 𝑚
0.167𝑉𝑇−𝑇
1 2
𝑎 = .
𝑠𝑚 𝑇𝑇12

Materials and theirAbsorption coefficient

Brick wall 0.02 Carpet 0.24

Wooden floor 0.057 Cushion 0.45

Chair 0.25 Rubber floor 0.05

Glass 0.02 Human 0.4

FACTORSAFFECTINGGOODACOUSTICALBUILDINGANDTHEIRREMEDIES

FACTORS DEFINITION REMEDIES

- Time taken bythe soundwaveto fall below the minimum byinstallingsoundabsorbing materials like
audibilitylevel after thesourceis stopped ▪providingwindows and openings
▪arrangingfull capacityofaudience
- ReverberationTimeistoohigh: ▪completelycoveringthefloorwith carpets
ReverberationTime overlappingof successive sound ▪heavycurtains with folds
▪decoratingthewallswithdrawing boards,
- ReverberationTimeistoolow: pictureboards
produced sound willdisappear

- forthegood audibility, reverberation time should be kept

at an optimum value.
- degreeof sensation produced in the ear. Ifloudnessislow:
- uniform distribution of loudness must be maintained ▪speakersmaybeplacedatregular distances
- duetohighabsorptionorlowreflectingsurfacesnearthe sound ▪lowering the ceiling and placing
Loudness
source reflectingsurfaces at necessaryplaces.
Ifloudnessishigh:
▪soundabsorbentscanbeplacedatnoisy places

- Ifthetimeintervalbetweenthedirectsoundandthe reflected ▪properly coveringthelongdistancewalls, high

Echo soundislessthan1/15ofasecond,the reflected ceilings with suitable sound
sound reaches the audiencelaterthanthe absorbingmaterials.
direct sound.
EchelonEffect - new sound produced byrepetitiveechoes ▪Coversuchregularreflectingsurfaces
- regularreflectingsurfacelikestaircasemaycreatethis effect. properly.

Focusing - Reflected sound bythe ceiling and wall is focusedat a ▪cover the curved surfaceswith proper
particular areaof thehall. sound absorbingmaterials
- Planesurface: reflect and distribute the sound evenly. ▪radius of curvatureof concave ceiling
 - Curvedsurface :focuses the sound in the front portion should be two times the height of the
only. building.
InterferenceEffect - Caused byinterference of direct andreflected wave ▪Bythe usage of uniformpaintingand
constructiveinterference: max. sound intensityoccurs absorbent it maybe avoided.
destructiveinterference:min.sound intensityoccurs

- Ifwindowpanelsoranyotherwoodensectionsarenot ▪Vibratingmaterialsshouldbemountedon non-

coveredproperly,theoriginalsoundmayvibratewiththe vibrating and sound absorbing
Resonance natural frequencyof them. materials.
▪Panels must be fitted properly.
▪eliminatedthroughproperventilationorby Air-
Conditioning

- Unwanted sound produced externally/internally gives an irritatingexperience to theears.

Air-BorneNoise ▪Thehallshouldbeawayfromthickly populated
- outsidenoisewhichreachestheaudiencethroughwindow, door area,
and ventilator factoriesand railwaytracks.
▪byairconditioningandbydoubledoor system it
can be reduced.
Structure-BorneNoise ▪Usedoublewalleddoors,anti-vibration mounts,
Noise - noisereachestheaudiencethroughthestructuraldefectof the carpets etc.,
building
- duetothemovementoffurniture,footstepsandthe operation of
heavymachinerylikegenerators.
InsideNoise ▪equipments must be serviced properly
- noise produced inside the hall like cryingkids, thesound ▪equipment should be placed on sound
generated bytype writers, fan, A/C, Refrigerators,etc., absorbingmount
▪Floor, wall andceilingmust be covered
with suitable sound absorbing
materials.