Sound Absorption

The absorption of sound energy by

materials

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 Sound Inside a Room
„ When a sound source is enclosed in a room,
the level of sound inside the room is
changed.

„ The level of the sound (reinforcement of

sound) depends on how much the surfaces
of the room absorb (or reflect) sound.

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As sound travels reaches a surface…there is
reflection, absorption and transmission

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 Sound Absorption
Sound absorption is quantified by
absorption coefficient:
α= (Ei – Er) /Ei
The absorption coefficient is the ratio of
sound energy absorbed to the sound energy
incident.
Ei – Incident Energy.
Er – Reflected Energy
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 Absorption Coefficient
„ The sound absorbing efficiency of a material
is described by its “sound absorption
coefficients“.
„ It is denoted by α .
„ The sound absorption coefficients are
obtained from testing of the material in the
laboratory (either in a reverberant chamber,
or by the impedance tube method).

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„ Absorption coefficient α is a dimensionless
quantity ie. a number from 0 to 1.0.

„ The higher the coefficient number, the better

is the absorption.

„ The absorption coefficient varies with

frequency.

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Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC)
„ Another term employed to describe the
absorption properties of a material.

„ A single number obtained by averaging the

absorption coefficient (α) at 250, 500, 1000
and 2000 Hz.
NRC = (α200 + α500 + α1000 + α2000) / 4

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 An Analogy
If one wishes to contain water (sound)….

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 An Analogy….
If one wishes to absorb water (sound)….

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Typical Data Sheet

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 Absorption Coefficients
Look up the Data sheet.
„ Unpainted brickwork….

α at 63 Hz =0.02, α at 125 Hz =0.02…..

α at 2000 Hz = 0.05, etc. NRC = 0.03.
„ 100 mm rockwool blanket

α at 63 Hz =0.25, α at 125 Hz =0.45…..

α at 2000 Hz = 0.85, etc. NRC = 0.81.

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 α and NRC comparisons
„ Compare the α and NRC values of different
materials and building construction.
„ Impervious materials have low α and NRC
values.
„ Porous materials have higher α and NRC
values.
„ It is possible to have plywood (and other
impervious) but perforated / openings over the
higher α materials without substantial
reduction in the α and NRC values.
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 Room Constant (Rc or R)
„ The sound absorptivity of a space (room) is
given by the “Room Constant”.

„ The Room Constant depends on the total

area and absorption coefficients of the
materials making up the room.

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„ Room Constant Rc is given by
Rc = S αmean / (1 – αmean )

S – total surface area of the exposed surface

of the room (m2)
αmean - the average sound absorption
coefficient of the room.

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 Room Constant
„ The average sound absorption coefficient is
the total absorption of the room divided by
the total surface area of the room.
„ Calculate by determining and adding up the
respective contribution of each individual
surfaces.
„ This include the walls (plastered wall,
treated wall, windows, doors), the floor and
the ceiling.

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 Room Constant
αmean = Total Absorption in Room
Total Surface Area of Room
= Sum of Absorption of all Surfaces
Total Surface Area of Room
= (S1α1 + S2α2 + …..Snαn )/ (S1 + S2 +…Sn)

where 1, 2, 3…n denotes the individual material

surfaces.

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 Room Constant
Room or Space Typical range of αmean
Acoustic Environment
Live 0.02 - 0.07
Fairly Live 0.07 - 0.15
Average 0.20 - 0.40
Fairly Dead 0.40 - 0.50
Dead (very unlikely in 0.50 - 0.80
industrial environment)

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 Room Constant
Live : All surfaces hard and rigid
Fairly Live : All surfaces generally hard, but with some
panel construction (sheet metal or wood).
Average : Most surfaces with panel construction.
Significant area have absorptive surfaces.
Large openings in walls to exterior.
Fairly Dead : Majority with absorptive surfaces and the
remaining with panels.
Dead : All surfaces absorptive with no reflecting objects.

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 Reverberation Time
„ The room absorptivity can also be indicated by the reverberation times
(RT). RT60 is the time taken for a sound to decay by 60 dB.

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OPTIMUM REVERBERATION TIME

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 Reverberation Time
Reverberation time can also be estimated
from:
RT = (0.16V) / Sαmean
RT- reverberation time (sec)
V - room volume (m3)
S - surface area of room (m2)
αmean – average room absorption
coefficient
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 Example αmean
„ Room 10 x 8 x 3 m Ht.
„ Walls plastered area S1 = 90m2 α1 = 0.1
„ Doors area S2 = 8m2 α2 = 0.05
„ Windows area S3 = 10m2 α3 = 0.15
„ Floor area S4 = 80m2 α4 = 0.2
„ Ceiling area S5 = 80m2 α5 = 0.5
„ Total absorption Sα = 66.9 m2
„ Total area S = 268 m2
αmean = 66.9/268 = 0.25
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 Example Room Constant
„ Room Constant Rc = S αmean / (1 – αmean )

For example as given here

Rc = 268 x 0.25 / (1-0.25)
= 89 (m2)

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 Example
„ Example 1 , Notes page 9

„ Room Constant = 284 m2

„ RT = 0.16V/ Sαmean = 4.0 seconds

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