Acoustics Module 3

ACOUSTICS
Module - 3
What are Acoustic Materia
Acoustic materials are things that have ability to absorb
redundant noise and enhance transmission of sound. They
play an important role in determining the quality of
auditory experience in a number of settings like offices,
restaurants, concert halls, schools, auditoriums,
healthcare facilities and gymnasiums.
Imagine having lunch at a restaurant, where you can

hardly make a conversation because of the noise. Similarly
redundant noise or echo can also bring down the quality
of experience at a musical concert or a lecture. Acoustic
optimization of rooms using such materials is essential for
an enjoyable auditory experience in any setting.
What is Absorption Co-efficie
Acoustic absorption refers to
a material, structure or object
absorbing sound energy when
sound waves collide with it
Absorption coefficient refers to a material’s ability to absorb sound of various
frequencies. The coefficient can be viewed as a percentage of sound being absorbed,
where 1.00 is complete absorption (100%) and 0.01 is minimal (1%).
The absorption coefficient can be expressed as:
α = Ia / Ii (1)
where
Ia = sound intensity absorbed (W/m2)
Ii = incident sound intensity (W/m2)
Total Room Sound Absorption

The total sound absorption in a room can be expressed as:
A = S1 α1 + S2 α2 + .. + Sn αn = ∑ Si αi (2)
where
A = the absorption of the room (m2 Sabine)
Sn = area of the actual surface (m2)
αn = absorption coefficient of the actual surface
Absorption coefficient - α - for some common materials can be found in the table below:
Material Sound Absorption Coefficient - α -
Acoustic belt, 12 mm 0.5 - 0.5
Acoustic tiles 0.4 - 0.8
Asbestos, sprayed 25 mm 0.6 - 0.7
Brickwork, painted 0.01 - 0.02
Brickwork, unpainted 0.02 - 0.05
Cork sheet, 6 mm 0.1 - 0.2
Fiberboard on battens, 12 mm 0.3 - 0.4
Hardwood 0.3
Mineral wool, 100 mm 0.65
Persons, each 2.0 - 5.0
Plaster walls 0.01 - 0.03
Plywood panel, 3 mm 0.01 - 0.02
Polystyrene, expanded on 50mm battens 0.35
Polystyrene, expanded rigid backing 0.15
Polyurethane foam, flexible 0.95
Rubber sheet, 6 mm porous 0.1 - 0.2
Slag wool or glass silk, 50 mm 0.8 - 0.9
Snow 0.75
Wood wool cement on battens, 25 mm 0.6 - 0.07
Note! The absorption coefficient varies with the frequency of sound.

Sound Absorbe
There are three basic categories of sound
absorbers:
• porous materials commonly formed of
matted or spun fibers;
• panel (membrane) absorbers having an
impervious surface mounted over an
airspace; and
• resonators created by holes or slots
connected to an enclosed volume of
trapped air.
1) Porous absorbers: Common porous absorbers
include carpet, draperies, spray-applied cellulose,
aerated plaster, fibrous mineral wool and glass fiber,
open-cell foam, and felted or cast porous ceiling tile.
Generally, all of these materials allow air to flow into a
cellular structure where sound energy is converted to
heat. Porous absorbers are the most commonly used
sound absorbing materials. Thickness plays an
important role in sound absorption by porous
materials. Fabric applied directly to a hard, massive
substrate such as plaster or gypsum board does not
make an efficient sound absorber due to the very thin
layer of fiber. Thicker materials generally provide
more bass sound absorption or damping.
2) Panel Absorbers: Typically, panel absorbers are
non-rigid, non-porous materials which are placed over
an airspace that vibrates in a flexural mode in
response to sound pressure exerted by adjacent air
molecules. Common panel (membrane) absorbers
include thin wood paneling over framing, lightweight
impervious ceilings and floors, glazing and other large
surfaces capable of resonating in response to sound.
Panel absorbers are usually most efficient at
absorbing low frequencies. This fact has been learned
repeatedly on orchestra platforms where thin wood
paneling traps most of the bass sound, robbing the
room of “warmth.”
3) Resonators: Resonators typically act to absorb sound in a
narrow frequency range. Resonators include some perforated
materials and materials that have openings (holes and slots).
The classic example of a resonator is the Helmholtz resonator,
which has the shape of a bottle. The resonant frequency is
governed by the size of the opening, the length of the neck
and the volume of air trapped in the chamber. Typically,
perforated materials only absorb the mid-frequency range
unless special care is taken in designing the facing to be as
acoustically transparent as possible. Slots usually have a
similar acoustic response. Long narrow slots can be used to
absorb low frequencies. For this reason, long narrow air
distribution slots in rooms for acoustic music production
should be viewed with suspicion since the slots may absorb
valuable low-frequency energy.
Acoustic plaster is plaster
which contains fibers or
aggregate so that it absorbs
sound.
Such plaster is applied in
thicknesses of up to 1.5
inches. As compared with
other sound insulation, it is
easy to apply and is fireproof
but it can be more fragile,
being affected by physical
stress and humidity. Acoustic
plaster is used in construction
of rooms which require good
acoustic qualities such as
auditoria and libraries.
Acoustical, or acoustic, tile is
used in building construction to maximize
the quality of sound produced in the area
where the tile is installed. This product
may also reduce unwanted sound
transmission coming from outside. There
are a number of different types of
acoustical tile products, including those
which can be hung from a suspended grid
system on the ceiling, those which can be
affixed directly to an existing ceiling, and
those which can be fastened to the
surface of a wall. All acoustic tile works by
making the surface softer, which deadens
the echo and reverberation that a hard
surface would otherwise produce.
Acoustical tile comes in patterns designed
to resemble stucco, stone, or even fabric.
It is commonly used in both public as well

as residential settings.
Acoustical Hexagonal Tiles Acoustical Foam Tiles
Sound Absorptive Blankets
are used for acoustic room treatment to
reduce echo, which you hear in a room
with bare walls. Sound absorption
properties of acoustic materials can be
measured in standardized tests as Noise

Reduction Coefficient.
It does not really matter what the material
itself is - the higher the NRC, the better its
sound absorption quality. (Materials with
NRC below 0.5 are not considered to be
acoustic quality.)
Moving blankets are sometimes used for
acoustic room treatment as a cheap
alternative to expensive acoustic foam.
Sound in Room

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ACOUSTICS

Imagine having lunch at a restaurant, where you can

The absorption coefficient can be expressed as:

Total Room Sound Absorption

Note! The absorption coefficient varies with the frequency of sound.

It is commonly used in both public as well

measured in standardized tests as Noise

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