ABOUT THE ACOUSTICS DETAILS RELATED TO MATERIAL AND DESIGNING OF EDUCATIONAL BUILDINGS FOR ARCHITECTS AND PURSUING STUDENTS

1. Subject
Code
Session
Year
:- Acoustics
:- AR -805
:- 2014-15
:- 4th Year(8th SEM)
Studio Directors –
Asst. Prof. :- Ar. Shalini Diwaker
ITM School of Architecture &Town
Planning
Bakshi ka Talab, Mampur Bana , Lucknow
LECTURE – 10
2015
AR- 805 B.Arch, VIII sem. ITM SATP, Lko 1

2. OBJECTIVE:-
• ROLE OF ACOUSTICS FOR AN EDUCATIONAL BUILDING & ITS IMPACT ON ITS FUNCTIONING.
NOISE AND ITS EFFECT ON MAN
• PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS:- HYPERTENSION, ANNOYANCE
SLEEP DISTURBANCE
• PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS:- ISCHEMIC HEART DISEASE,
HEARING IMPAIRMENT
• IT EFFECTS THE GENERAL PROCESS OF VOCAL TEACHING
• AUDIBILITY OF STUDENTS IS ALSO AFFECTED.
• IF THE DESIGN IS UNABLE TO CONTROL SOUND AND
NOISE, IT OFFERS A COMPLETE FAILURE OF PURPOSE OF
THE EDUCATIONAL BUILDING.
2015
OUTDOOR NOISE
1. OUTDOOR NOISE 2. INDOOR NOISE
OPEN AIR SWIMMING
POOLS
AR- 805 B.Arch, VIII sem. ITM SATP, Lko 2
OUTER BUSY ROADS
ADJACENT
INDUSTRIES
LECTURE – 10

3. 2015
AUDIO VISUAL
CLASSES
G Y MNASIUM
PLUMBING AND
MECHANICAL
SERVICES
LECTURE GIVEN
BY TEACHER IN
OTHER
CLASSROOM
LABORATORIES
KITCHEN &
DINING
MUSIC ROOMS
SHUTTING OR
OPENING OF
DOORS
SHIFTING OF
FURNITURE
INDOOR NOISE
WORKSHOPS
CORRIDORS AND
OTHER CIRCULATION
AREAS
AR- 805 B.Arch, VIII sem. ITM SATP, Lko 3
LECTURE – 10

4. 2015
AIR BORNE NOISES
CLASS A NOISE PRODUCING WORKSHOPS KITCHENS
DINING ROOM GYM
INDOOR SWIMMING POOLS
CLASS B PRODUCING BUT QUIET AT
TIMES
ASSEMBLY HALLS LECTURE HALLS
MUSIC & TYPING ROOM
CLASS C AVERAGE GENERAL CLASSROOM PRACTICAL ROOM
LABS N OFFICES
CLASS D NEED SILENCE LIBRARIES STUDIES
CLASS E NEED PRIVACY MEDICAL ROOM STAFF ROOM
MINIMUM SOUND REDUCTION BETWEEN ROOMS IN
SAME CL ASSES
• CLASS A - 25 DB
• CLASS C OR D - 35 DB
• CLASS B OR E - 45 DB
WHEN A ROOM IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE A DUAL USE FOR
AN INSTANCE A DINING ROOM TO BE USED AS
CLASSROOM THEN HIGHER SOUND INSULATION VALUE
SHOULD BE USED
LECTURE – 10
AR- 805 B.Arch, VIII sem. ITM SATP, Lko 4

5. 2015
OPEN PLAN SCHOOLS
AR- 805 B.Arch, VIII sem. ITM SATP, Lko 5
 A NEW CONCEPT IN SCHOOL PLANNING IS THE USE OF A LARGE TEACHING AREA WITH
SIMULTANEOUS INSTRUCTIONS IMPARTED TO SEVERAL GROUPS OF STUDENTS.
 THE SHAPE OF SUCH SPACES MAYBE AS LINEAR AS POSSIBLE WITH A WIDTH TO HEIGHT
RATIO OF 5:1 OR GREATER.
 JUDICIOUS POSITIONING OF PARTIAL HEIGHT BARRIERS 1.8 M TO 2.1 M IN HEIGHT CAN
IMPROVE THE SOUND ATTENUATION BETWEEN TEACHING GROUPS
MIN. SOUND REDUCTION BETWEEN ROOMS IN
DIFFERENT CL ASSES
 MINIMUM SOUND REDUCTION BETWEEN ROOMS IN THE DIFFERENT CLASS IS 45 DB
SUBJECTED TO FOLLOWING NORMS :-
A) IN SCHOOLS WHERE NOISY ACTIVITY SUCH AS SHEET METAL WORK, PLUMBING
AND WOODWORK ARE LIKELY TO BE PRACTICISED EXTENSIVELY IN NORMAL
HOURS REGARDED AS SPECIAL CATEGORY AND MORE THAN 45 DB ISOLATION IS
REQUIRED
LECTURE – 10

6. 2015
B) ASSEMBLY HALLS AND MUSIC ROOMS ARE SPECIAL CASES IN THAT AS WELL AS
PRODUCING NOISE, THEY ALSO REQUIRE PROTECTION FROM IT AND NEED MORE
THAN 45 DB ISOLATION FROM ROOMS IN CLASS A IF CLASS A IS VERY NOISY
WORKSHOPS,
KITCHENS,
GYMNASIUMS
SOUND
REDUCTION
REQUIRED>
45 DB
ASSEMBLY
HALLS &
MUSIC
ROOMS
SOUND
REDUCTION
REQUIRED>
45 DB
CLASS A
ENCLOSURE
C) SPACES MAY VARY FROM A LONG AND
CIRCULATIO
N
FREQUENTED
CORRIDOR TO A SMALL PRIVATE LOBBY, SO
PRECISE
PARTITIONS BETWEEN ROOMS IN CLASS C AND
RECOMMENDATIONS ARE DIFFICULT. FOR
MOST
CORRIDORS A SOUND REDUCTION OF 35 DB IS ADEQUATE.
D) INSULATION BETWEEN ROOMS AND CORRIDORS IS OF NOT MUCH WORRY IF THE
CLASSES ARE SCHEDULED PROPERLY. BUT IN MANY CASES THIS IS NOT TRUE
AND NOISE REDUCTION IS REQUIRED
PARTITION
BETWEEN
ROOMS OF
CLASS C &
CORRIDORS
SOUND
REDUCTION
REQUIRED=3
5 DB
CORRIDORS
CLASSES
SOUND
REDUCTION
REQUIRED
CIRCULATION
AREAS
AR- 805 B.Arch, VIII sem. ITM SATP, Lko 6
LECTURE – 10

7. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
Classroom Workshop
SITE PL ANNING
• SCHOOL BUILDINGS SHOULD BE SITED AS FAR AS
POSSIBLE FROM THE SOURCES OF OUTDOOR
NOISE NUISANCE WHICH ARE BEYOND THE
Class A Noise
producing
Workshops Kitchens
Dining room Gym indoor swimmingpools
Class B Producing but
quiet at times
Assembly halls Lecture
halls Music and typing room
Class C Average General classroom Practical room
Labs n offices
Class D Need silence Libraries Studies
Class E Need privacy Medical room Staff room
CONTROL OF THE SCHOOL AUTHORITY.
• ROOMS SHOULD BE PLANNED IN A MANNER SO
THAT THE MINIMUM AMOUNT OF GLAZING IS
PLACED ON THE SIDE FACING THE EXTERNAL
NOISE
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
INTERNAL PL ANNING
 GROUPING -NOISY ROOMS SHOULD BE SEPARATED FROM QUIET ONES
 WINDOWS OF NOISY &
QUIET ROOMS SHOULD
NOT OPEN ON TO THE
SAME COURTYARD
 SWING DOORS INTO
ROOMS SHOULD ONLY
BE USED WHERE NO
PROBLEM OF SOUND
TRANSMISSION EXISTS.
2015
LECTURE – 10
AR- 805 B.Arch, VIII sem. ITM SATP, Lko 7

8. corridor
Panel board with
perforation
Highly
absorptive
material
Cavitywall
Not more then 7mt.
workshop
Class room Buffer space
 CAVITY WALLS SHOULD BE PROVIDED IN BETWEEN
TWO ROOMS TO PROVIDE COMPLETE SOUND
INSULATION .
 THE INNER SURFACES OF WALLS OF CLASSROOMS
SHOULD BE PROVIDED WITH SOFT BOARD PANELING.
 THE TWO ZONES OF DIFFERENT SOUND QUALITY CAN
BE SEPARATED BY INTRODUCING A BUFFER STRIP IN
BETWEEN THEM. THIS BUFFER STRIP CAN BE A
LANDSCAPED AREA , A CORRIDOR, OR EVEN SOME
STORE
 WINDOWS CAN BE GIVEN ON ALTERNATE WALLS
OF Class room
TWO CONSECUTIVE CLASSES , SUCH THAT NOISE
FROM ONE DOESN’T ENTER THE OTHER
 DISTANCE BETWEEN THE SPEAKER AND THE
LISTENER SHOULD NOT BE MORE THAN 7 M.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
INTERIORS
2015
AR- 805 B.Arch, VIII sem. ITM SATP, Lko 8
LECTURE – 10

9. RECOMMENDATIONS…..
 WOODEN FURNITURE SHOULD BE
PROVIDED.
 RUBBER BUFFERS SHOULD BE PROVIDED
TO THE LEGS OF THE FURNITURE.
 FURNITURE SHOULD BE FIXED IN
PRIMARY SCHOOLS.
NOISE REDUCTION WITHIN STUDY SPACES…..
 SOUND ABSORBENT MATERIALS PLAY A USEFUL PART IN REDUCING THE BUILT-UP OR
AIR-BORNE NOISE AT SOURCE.
 IN ROOMS, LIKE CLASSROOMS, ASSEMBLY HALLS AND MUSIC ROOMS, SHORT
REVERBERATION TIME UNDER OCCUPIED CONDITIONS IS REQUIRED.
 TYPICAL CLASSROOMS AND MEETING ROOMS SHOULD HAVE A LAY-IN ACOUSTIC TILES.
2015
LECTURE – 10
AR- 805 B.Arch, VIII sem. ITM SATP, Lko 9

10. NOISE REDUCTION WITHIN
STUDY SPACES…..
 THE MAXIMUM REVERBERATION TIMES PERMISSIBLE FOR THIS PURPOSE ARE USUALLY
SHORT TO GIVE ADEQUATE NOISE CONTROL BUT IN ADDITION, THE REVERBERATION
TIME SHOULD NOT BE EXCESSIVE UNDER EMPTY CONDITIONS, BECAUSE NOISE MAY
OCCUR IN THESE ROOMS WITH VERY FEW OCCUPANTS.
 IN ROOMS, LIKE CLASSROOMS, ASSEMBLY HALLS AND MUSIC ROOMS, SHORT
REVERBERATION TIME UNDER OCCUPIED CONDITIONS IS REQUIRED.
 TYPICAL CLASSROOMS AND MEETING ROOMS SHOULD HAVE A LAY-IN ACOUSTIC TILES.
 WALLS TYPICALLY SHOULD BE A HARD, SOUND-REFLECTIVE MATERIAL, SUCH AS
GYPSUM BOARD OR MASONRY, SHAPING AND DIFFUSION ON WALLS IN LARGER ROOMS
SHOULD BE CONSIDERED TO IMPROVE SPEECH REFLECTION PATTERNS AND ELIMINATE
FLUTTER ECHOES.
 THE WINDOWS SHOULD BE SPECIFIED AS AN INSULATING ASSEMBLY WITH DIFFERENT
PANE THICKNESSES TO REDUCE OUTSIDE NOISE
2015
AR- 805 B.Arch, VIII sem. ITM SATP, Lko 10
LECTURE – 10

11.  WORKSHOPS REQUIRE MORE THAN
45DB INSULATION FROM ROOMS OF ANY
OTHER CLASS.
 IN SCHOOLS FOR DEAF. DEAF CHILDREN ARE TAUGHT BY MEANS OF HEARING AIDS,
WHICH CANNOT BE USED SATISFACTORILY IN HIGH NOISE LEVELS OR IN REVERBERANT
CONDITIONS.
 CORRIDOR WALLS FROM CLASSROOMS, LABORATORIES, AND MEETING ROOMS SHOULD
BE A MINIMUM OF A SINGLE LAYER OF (1.6 CM) GYPSUM BOARD ON EACH SIDE OF A
METAL STUD.
 DOORS SHOULD TYPICALLY NOT BE LOCATED BETWEEN TWO CLASSROOMS OR OTHER
SOUND-CRITICAL SPACES
 CONSTRUCTION OF SOLID-CORE WOOD OR HOLLOW METAL WITH APPLIED ACOUSTICAL
DOOR SEALS AND SWEEPS TO CONTROL SOUND LEAKAGE AROUND THE PERIMETER OF
THE DOORS.
 ASSEMBLY HALLS AND MUSIC ROOMS REQUIRE 45DB INSULATION FROM THE ROOMS IF
THE LATTER ARE VERY NOISY
 AVOID FACING TWO DOORS DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM EACH OTHER
IN A CORRIDOR
2015
AR- 805 B.Arch, VIII sem. ITM SATP, Lko 11
LECTURE – 10

12. NOISE REDUCTION WITHIN
STUDY SPACES…..
CONCLUSION
REQUIREMENTS FOR GOOD ACOUSTICS IN CLASSROOMS
2015
LECTURE – 10
AR- 805 B.Arch, VIII sem. ITM SATP, Lko 12

13. 2015
SOME EXAMPLES…..
1. ACOUSTICAL TREATMENT IN A CL ASSROOM OF IIM-AHEMDABAD
REAR WALL IS ACOUSTICALLY TREATED,ABSO-RBENT
IS COMPOSITE TYPE WITH WOODEN PANNELS WITH
WOOD WOOL INSIDE
REAR WALL
WITH
PROPER
ACOUSTICAL
TREATMENT
SLIDING PANNELS PROVIDED ON THE
SIDE WALLS TO CLOSE THE
OPENINGS AS WELL AS THEY ARE
HELPING IN MAINTAINING OPTIMUM
RT OF THE ROOM AS THEY ARE
COVERED WITH ABSORBENT
WOODEN FURNITURE WITH FURNIHING ON THE
CHAIRS.TABLE BOTTOM CONTAIN METALLIC SHEET
WITH HOLES IN IT
AR- 805 B.Arch, VIII sem. ITM SATP, Lko 13
LECTURE – 10

14.  SPECIFY CEILING, WALLS AND FLOOR TREATMENT TO MEET THE REVERBERATION
CONTROL REQUIREMENTS OF STANDARD.
 SPECIFY SOUND INSULATING WINDOWS TO BLOCK STREET AND ENVIRONMENTAL
NOISES.
 LIMIT OR OMIT OPEN SPACE CLASSROOMS IN THE SCHOOL.
 FOR GENERAL CLASSROOMS WITH NO FIXED LECTURE POSITION AND CEILING LESS
THAN 3MT, PLACE MAXIMUM ABSORBING MATERIAL ON CEILING. OVER 3MT AN
INCREASING AMOUNT SHALL BE ON WALLS.
 FOR CLASSROOMS WITH FIXED OR PREDOMINANT TEACHER POSITION, DON'T PLACE
SOUND ABSORBING MATERIALS JUST ABOVE AND IN FRONT OF TEACHER.
 IN LECTURE HALLS, USE SOUND REFLECTING MATERIAL OVER THE LECTERN, SOUND
ABSORBING UPHOLSTERED CHAIRS AND BACK WALL SOUND ABSORBING.
 CORRIDORS SHOULD GENERALLY HAVE TOTAL SURFACE AREA OF SOUND ABSORBING
MATERIALS ON THE CEILING & WALLS NOT LESS THAN 50%OF FLOOR AREA AND UPTO
75% OVERALL(FOR HIGH TRAFFIC).
 USE WALL MOUNTED OR PENDENT LIGHT FIXTURES RATHER THEN CEILING TO PROVIDE
MAXIMUM CEILING AREA FOR ACOUSTIC TREATMENT.
 STAGGER ROOM ENTRANCES ALONG CORRIDORS TO REDUCE DIRECT SOUND
TRANSMISSION THROUGH OPEN DOORS.
 CARPETING CAN BE HELPFUL FOR RESISTING CHAIR AND FOOT SOUND.
DESIG N CRITERIA…..
2015
LECTURE – 10
AR- 805 B.Arch, VIII sem. ITM SATP, Lko 14

15.  FIBER
G L ASS
ACOUSTIC
INSUL ATION
 ACOUSTICAL
FOAM BOARDS
 ECHO
ABSORBER
ACOUSTIC
BAFFL ES
 POLYURETHANE
FOAM
 NATURAL
COTTON
FIBER
 RUBBER
SHEETS
 CARPET
TILES
ACOUSTICAL MATERIALS…..
 CEILING TREATMENTS
 WALL TREATMENTS
 FLOOR TREATMENTS
2015
LECTURE – 10
AR- 805 B.Arch, VIII sem. ITM SATP, Lko 15