Acoustics in Auditorium design

What is acoustics

Acoustics is the science of sound. There are many kinds of sound and many ways that it affects our lives. We use sound to communicate and you might also know that acoustics is important for creating musical instruments or concert halls or surround sound stereo or hearing aids.

What is reverberation

Reverberation is the collection of reflected sounds from the surfaces in an enclosure like an auditorium.

The interval between the initial direct arrival of a sound wave and the last audible reflected wave is called reverberation time.

How to control it.?

Drapes in auditorium

Movie theatre fabrication

Reflection of sound
Reflection are an important part of acoustical design for music performance venues For effective music acoustic ,the reflection have to arrive with in the correct time window and from the correct direction.

Useful reflection

A properly designed acoustical environment provides a good listening experience for audience by enhancing the performance or presentation Even and natural sound coverage ,freedom from intruding noise and sense of presence from the performer or presentation are all important aspects of good acoustics Acoustics should be considered very early in the design process and the aesthetic developed in accordance with those requirements.

Auditorium design

Auditorium demands very careful acoustical analysis

Acoustical design problem

Focusing
Echoes

of sound

Resonances
External

noise Double valued Tr

Focusing of sound

Any time the surfaces of a room focus the sound which is reflected from them, they create spots of high intensity and other spots with low intensity. This is generally undesirable in an auditorium since you want a uniform, evenly dispersed sound to all listeners.

SOUND REFLECTIVE SHELL TOWERS

Even large flat reflective surfaces are to be avoided because of the prominent reflection which will be produced.
Parallel flat walls can produce a pattern of reflections known as a "flutter echo" as the sound waves travel back and forth between the surfaces. Such flutter echoes are often encountered in high school gymnasiums where there are parallel side walls and also a reflective floor and ceiling.

OVERHEAD PANELS

Echoes

In audio signal processing and acoustics, an echo (plural echoes) is a reflection of sound, arriving at the listener some time after the direct sound. Typical examples are the echo produced by the bottom of a well, by a building, or by the walls of an enclosed room and an empty room. A true echo is a single reflection of the sound source. The time delay is the extra distance divided by the speed of sound.

DIFFUSER AND ABSORBER PANELS

RESONANSE

Acoustic resonance is the tendency of an acoustic system to absorb more energy when it is forced or driven at a frequency that matches one of its own natural frequencies of vibration (its resonance frequency) than it does at other frequencies.

BALCONY FACE

EXTERNAL NOISE

Acoustic noise is any sound in the acoustic domain, either deliberate (music, speech, etc.) or unintended. It is important to recognize that the term "noise" is also used to refer to other, nonaudible forms, especially in electronics and in the radio/radar spectrum.

General design considerations

Visual Ventilation Acoustical

1. 2. 3. 4.

Seating Stage Room shape Room walls

Hall shapes/room shapes

Seating arrangements in auditorium

Seating in auditorium

Room wall in auditorium

Use of Sound Reflectors and Diffusers

The following are some recommendations regarding the use of sound reflectors and diffusers: For vocal enhancement, use sound reflectors with flat surfaces or moderately convex surfaces (radius of curvature about 20 feet) that are tilted to reflect sound toward listeners at the middle to rear of the seating areas (an acoustical consultant should use scale models or ray diagrams on section drawings to determine optimum position and orientation for reflectors). Be sure the surface of the reflector is smooth. Depth of ribs or other surface relief should not exceed one-half inch. For music enhancement, be sure the surface of the reflector has sound-diffusing elements or other significant surface modulations. Sound-diffusing shapes include: convex, gull-wing, pyramidal, and array of wells of varying depths. Avoid concave shapes because they focus rather than evenly distribute sound. Sound reflectors and diffusers should be constructed from hard-surfaced materials (such as wood, gypsum board, or acrylic plastic) that have sound absorption coefficients less than 0.10 at 2000Hz. Panels should be well braced to be rigid.

Materials in auditorium

Baffles & Banners Acoustical Ceiling Tiles Cross point Acoustical fabric Acoustical Wall Panels Acoustical Foams Sound Diffusers

DESIGN RECOMMENDATIONS:

Sound Isolation Principles

Monolithic construction, such as masonry walls or gypsum board attached to steel studs, can isolate sound if they are heavy. Use heavyweight block rather than lightweight block, multiple layers of gypsum board rather than a single layer. Improve isolation by decoupling opposite layers of wall. Use independant rows of studs, or resilient connections to support gypsum board. Sound-absorbing fibrous materials, placed in cavity airspaces in walls and ceilings, can increase isolation by reducing buildup of sound within cavity.

THANK YOU
DONE BY: AMARESH DHUNNOO GANESH NIKHIL