Auditorium Acoustics.pptx
- 1. Building services III Design of Performing spaces By Ar.Selvendiran SG
- 2. Key Factors for Auditorium Acoustics
- 3. Have you ever attended a lecture or a play in an auditorium and barely been able to make out what the speaker was saying?
- 4. Chances are the problem was poor acoustics
- 5. While you design, build, or review an auditorium, make sure to consider these 8 key factors that affect the acoustic performance and environment in the space. Key Factors for Auditorium Acoustics •Location. ... •Buffer Zones around Auditorium. ... •Doorway STC. ... •Reverberation Analysis for Auditoriums. ... •Auditorium Background Noise. ... •Balcony Design. ... •Sound Systems for Auditoriums. ... •Orchestra Pits.
- 6. Key Factors for Auditorium Acoustics 1. Location For new auditoriums, the building should be planned as far away as possible from any potential noise sources such as highways, train tracks or industrial areas. Airport noise may also be particularly problematic in some locations. If this is the case, perform an Auditorium Sound Study prior to construction to ensure an adequate OITC is specified to prevent disruption inside the space.
- 7. What do you mean by OITC ? Outdoor/Indoor Transmission Class (OITC) is a number rating of the sound transmission loss of a constructed assembly tested with lower frequencies to represent sound typical of modes of transportation. OITC is of relevance to designers interested in how effectively their design will shield occupants from sound generated exterior to the structure.
- 8. 2. Buffer Zones around Auditorium Isolate the auditorium from the rest of the building and potential noise sources by creating buffer zones. Hallways and lobbies should separate the main auditorium from restrooms, mechanical equipment, dressing rooms etc. Surrounding space should be used for storage or offices that will be empty while the auditorium is in use.
- 9. 3. Doorway STC All doors should be solid-core, with airtight seals to inhibit outside noise from slipping in. Select STC-rated doors if the performance space is critical. While apartment doors may only require STC 32, we suggest STC performance in the 35-40 range. If double doors are used, ensure that an Astragal is installed in the center, and sufficient rubber gasketing is used to prevent flanking. Sound Transmission Class STC stands for Sound Transmission Class, which is the measurement used to calculate the effectiveness of soundproofing materials in reducing sound transmission between rooms.
- 10. 4. Reverberation Analysis for Auditoriums To combat reverb in a large room: 1. Build with sound absorbing material and include sunken panels, undulations and other small irregularities in the walls. 2. Consider specialty treatments, such as stretched fabric wall systems, custom-designed and installed for auditorium spaces. 3. Sound reflecting materials should be used for the bulk of the building process (thick wood, thick gypsum, concrete). 4. Hang thick, fabric curtains along walls to minimize hard surfaces. 5. All aisles should be carpeted to reduce foot-traffic noise. 6. Always use fabric seating. Avoid metal and plastic. 7. Create a checkerboard pattern alternating between sound reflecting and sound absorbing materials along the ceiling.
- 11. NOTE: A basic acoustic analysis simply uses the room geometry and acoustic absorption coefficients to determine the expected reverberation time in the space. See a simple example below.
- 12. A more advanced analysis requires looking at specific frequency bands, often broken down into the 1/3rd octave bands. This is often required for auditoriums and other performance venues that may have more specific requirements.
- 13. 5. Auditorium Background Noise Install sound absorbing duct liners and mufflers to reduce HVAC noise. HVAC design shall ensure that the NC (Noise Criteria) level is at or below NC-35. Critical spaces may require an NC level of 40. NOTE: NC levels can be compared to similar dBA levels, if that is a preferred system for your acoustic consultant or mechanical designer. Absorbing duct liners
- 14. 6. Balcony Design Balconies should be included where possible to reduce the distance between the farthest seats and the stage. The overhang should be of small depth and be fitted with sound absorbing material
- 15. 7. Sound Systems for Auditoriums Speakers should be placed just above and in front of the proscenium opening or arch. The controls for these speakers should be positioned in a central location of the seating area rather than in a separate room in the back of the auditorium.
- 16. 8. Orchestra Pits If the auditorium has an orchestra pit, soundproof curtains should be installed that can be opened and closed as the conductor chooses to control the noise level. General auditoriums play host to a wide range of performances and events which will have no chance of success if audiences aren’t able to hear them. Consider this list the next time you’re working on a general auditorium to create the ideal acoustics.
- 18. INTRODUCTION: The auditorium, as a place for listening developed from the classical open-air theaters. An auditorium is a room built to enable an audience to 1. Hear and 2. Watch performances. The design of various types of auditoriums has become a complex problem, because in addition to its 1. Various strategies, 2. Sometimes conflicting, 3. Aesthetics, 4. Functional, 5. Technical, 6. Artistic and 7. Economical requirements An auditorium often has to accommodate an unprecedentedly large audience.
- 19. AUDITORIUM ACOUSTICS: There are two criteria’s to be considered while designing Auditoriums. •The acoustics factors which affect the functioning of the Auditoriums •The basic dimensions for audience comfort with respect to the acoustics.
- 20. Behavior of sound & its effects: •The behavior of sound plays an important role in acoustical design of buildings and in sound insulation. •When a sound originates from any source either a speech or music , it is transmitted from the source in all directions. •The sound continues to travel till it strikes on a surface such as floor, wall, ceiling or any other barrier from where a part of it is reflected back, a part being diffused, another part being absorbed by the surface where it dies out in the material or transmitted to the other side of the barrier.
- 21. Reflection, Refraction, and Diffraction When a wave reaches the boundary between one medium another medium, a portion of the wave undergoes reflection. Refraction of waves involves a change in the direction of waves as they pass from one medium to another. Diffraction involves a change in direction of waves as they pass through an opening or around a barrier in their path.
- 23. Room with no Acoustical treanment results in the following Acoustical Defects: 1. Echo 2. Reverberation 3. Sound Foci & dead spots 4. Insufficient Sound Volume 5. High background noise ECHO: When the difference in the arrival time of the direct sound and the reflected sound from the same source is more than 60 milliseconds, we hear the sound as two distinct sounds. Echo is a long delayed reflection When a sound becomes trapped in repetitive pattern in between parallel surfaces is called “Flutter Echo”
- 24. REVERBERATION: The sound from the source does not die immediately. This prolongation of sound even after the sound from the surface is stopped Reverberation.
- 25. SOUND FOCI &DEAD SPOTS: In case of concave shaped reflecting surfaces or domed ceilings, there is a possibility for reflected sound rays to meet at a point called Sound focus. These spots of unusual loudness or intensity is known as “Sound Foci” Dead spot is a defect which is a side effect of sound foci. The spots of low intensity causing unsatisfactory hearing for the audience are called “Dead spots”
- 26. INSUFFICIENT SOUND VOLUME: In a large Auditorium it is desirable that the speakers voice from the stage should be easily audible in all parts of the hall at a uniform intensity or loudness. To achieve this the sound waves should get properly reflected and uniformly spread over the interior of the enclosure. HIGH BACKGROUND NOISE/ NUISANCE: This defect is caused mainly due to poor sound insulation and due to poor planning The exterior noise is carried inside through loose door, window openings and ventilator.
- 27. RECOMMENDED REMEDIES FOR THESE COMMON DEFECTS
- 31. SOUND AMPLIFICATION SYSTEMS: Sound amplification system are used for the following purpose: • To reinforce the sound level when the sound source is too weak to be heard. • To provide amplified sound for overflow audience. • To minimize sound reverberation. • To provide artificial reverberation in rooms which are too dead for satisfactory listening. TYPES OF LOUDSPEAKER SYSTEM •Centrally located system •Distributed system, •Stereophonic system, The centrally located system with a single cluster of loudspeakers over a sound source. This system gives max. realism as the amplified sound comes from the same direction as original sound.
- 32. The distributed system, using a number of overhead loudspeakers located throughout the auditorium. This system should be used when: • Auditorium height is too low to install central system. • When majority of listeners do not have an adequate sight line of central loudspeakers. • When sound has to be provided for overflow audience. • In large halls. The stereophonic system, with two or more clusters of loudspeakers around the proscenium opening or the sound source. Stereophonic system preserves the illusion that, the sound is coming from the original , unamplified source.
- 41. Good view without head movement, but slight eye movement of about 30° Good view with slight head movement and eye movement of about 60°
- 44. BALCONIES Balconies allow more of the audience to be seated close to the stage and limit the slope of the orchestra seating. Balcony floors have steeper rakes than the orchestra floor, but the slope can be calculated using the same equations. The slope should not be greater than 30◦ and the top of the balcony should not be more than 65 feet above the stage to avoid vertigo. Figure 20.2 shows a typical balcony configuration. Balcony overhangs must be controlled to allow the reverberant sound to reach the seats beneath them. For speech, balcony overhangs can be deeper without undue degradation. Vertigo is a sensation of feeling off balance
- 45. A slightly convex under-balcony ceiling can help redirect sound into the shielded area. Likewise a rising leading edge at the front of the balcony is also helpful. Where the balcony overhang is very deep, both direct and reverberant sound have difficulty penetrating. A sound system can augment the direct sound, using loudspeakers located on the underside of the balcony. A concave or semicircular-ceiling cavity under the balcony can help generate a localized reverberant field to offset the effect of a deep overhang.
- 46. In rare instances, halls have been built with a flying balcony, separated from the rear wall of the room as in Fig. 20.3. This allows the sound to flow around the upper balcony to reach the rearmost under- balcony seats. It is an expensive solution, since it presents structural challenges, even when beams support the balcony from the rear.
- 47. Ceiling Design The ceiling of an auditorium or theater is more complicated than those found in a lecture hall. When auditoria are designed for speech, strong overhead reflections are preferred, whereas for music, a ceiling that diffuses the sound and aids in the sense of envelopment, or feeling surrounded by the sound, is best. A flat ceiling can yield excellent results for speech if it is not too high and if the floor rake is sufficient. In auditoria and lecture halls, particularly when the floor is flat or slightly raked, a shaped ceiling is helpful. This type can be designed by dividing the surface into angled planes or separately supported reflectors, so that there is an even distribution of reflected sound over the audience.
- 52. Side walls
- 59. Thank You