INTRODUCTION to

ACOUSTICS

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 EARTH SCOPE of ACOUSTICS
ENGINEERING
SCIENCES

LIFE ARTS
SCIENCES
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 SPECIALIZED ACOUSTICS STUDIES

Psycho Acoustics: deals with the reaction of human

beings to audible sound, including the mechanics of the
human ear and effect of noise on hearing capacities

Electro Acoustics: deals with the generation and detection

of audible sound waves, including sound reproduction

Sonics: deals with the technical application of mechanical

waves in basic scientific research, industry, and medicine

Environmental Acoustics: deals with the effects of the

environment upon audible sound waves

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INTRODUCTION to ARCHITECTURAL ACOUSTICS

Architectural Acoustics:
the science of sound phenomena in buildings, dealing with
the production, transmission, and absorption of sound in
order to secure the distinct conditions in every part of the
building or room;

the science of sound and vibration which refers to stress

fluctuations and waves in a material medium;

an environmental technology on sound and noise control in

a man made surrounding conducive to a clear
understanding of speech, better appreciation of music, and
minimal noise interference;

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INTRODUCTION to ARCHITECTURAL ACOUSTICS

The art and science of designing a room or building which

insures both comfort and communication, and provides
special features as the purpose and use of the structure
requires

Thus, ARCHITECTURAL ACOUSTICS can be broken

down into:

Space Acoustics: designing a space that enhances sound

for optimum acoustical conditions

Noise Control: eliminating, or at least reducing noise and

vibration transmission

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 SOUND

Any vibratory motion of bodies, the transmission of these

vibrations in a solid or liquid media, and the sensation
produced on the human auditory mechanism.

An alteration in pressure (particle displacement in velocity)

projected and propagated in an elastic material.

Form of energy propagated in waves which continues to

subsist until filtered through a material turning into heat by
friction.

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 PROPERTIES OF SOUND

Sound must always have a source, a path, and a receiver

SPEED: sound travels at 344m/s at normal room

temperature (68 degF)
Sound propagation velocity / media
Sound travels about 1 material speed
million times slower Air 344 m/s
than light
Water 1410 m/s
Sound travels faster in Wood 3300 m/s
denser media
Brick 3600 m/s
Concrete 3700 m/s
Steel 4900 m/s
Glass 5000 m/s
Aluminum 5800 m/s

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 PROPERTIES OF SOUND
INTENSITY: the rate at which sound energy is being
transmitted, measured at any point in the medium.
Intensity diminishes inversely as the square of the distance
of the source
I = 1/ D2

D 2D 3D

Unit by which intensity is measured for architectural

purposes is the decibel (DB)

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 PROPERTIES OF SOUND

SOUND PRESSURE: the fluctuation in the atmospheric

pressure caused by the vibration of air particles due to a
sound wave.

LOUDNESS: the subjective attribute of an auditory

sensation

THRESHOLD OF AUDIBILITY: minimum intensity that is

capable of evoking an auditory sensation in the ear

THRESHOLD OF PAIN: minimum sound pressure level

which stimulates the ear to a point which is painful

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 PROPERTIES OF SOUND

FREQUENCY: the number of displacements or oscillations

that a particle undergoes in 1 second. The unit of frequency
is HERTZ, numerically equal to cycles per second
The audio frequency range is 20-20,000 HZ

Standard frequencies, selected arbitrarily, represent

significance in environmental acoustics.
These are 128, 256, 512, 1024, 2048, 4096

PITCH: the attribute of an auditory system which enables

us to pinpoint sounds on a scale extending from high to
low frequencies

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 PROPERTIES OF SOUND

TONE: sound sensation having pitch

PURE TONE: sound of a single frequency, characterized by a

single pitch (ex. Low note softly on a flute)

COMPLEX TONES: sounds containing several additional

frequencies
FUNDAMENTAL: lowest frequency present in a complex tone

PARTIAL or OVERTONE: highest frequency present in a

complex tone

TIMBRE: combination of the number, prominence, pitch,

and intensity of the overtones

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 PROPERTIES OF SOUND

WAVELENGTH: the distance a sound wave travels during

each complete cycle of vibration (λ)

λ = speed of sound / frequency

c = λƒ

THUS, sound within the frequency range of 20-10,000 HZ

produces wavelengths which extends from 17M – 34mm

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 PROPERTIES OF SOUND

SOUND DIRECTIONALITY:
Sound sources radiate sound waves in all directions

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 REFERENCES:

Doelle, Leslie L, Environmental Acoustics

Egan, David, Concepts in Architectural Acoustics

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