Evaluation of Sound Absorption Coefficient – Acoustic Properties of Pattamadai mat

Abstract

Noise has become one of the most critical problems to address in contemporary cities, and the awareness of the consequences of noise pollution has been increasing lately. Road traffic noise exposure is considered a serious environmental health hazard, as excessive exposure to noise increases cardiovascular diseases and anxiety. People spend most of their time in residences where they become tolerant of noisy environments and are unaware of the effects caused by them. Indoor acoustic comfort in residences is one of the unexplored parts of Indoor environmental quality (IEQ). Achieving sufficient acoustic comfort is of the main priorities in achieving IEQ. Facades are the constructive elements which act as a barrier between outdoor and indoor sound transmission. The main aim of this research is to optimize the characteristics of different elements of the façade of a residential building to enhance indoor acoustic comfort. A case study residence is chosen at Guindy, Chennai, to study the outdoor sound pattern and the corresponding indoor sound level. The outdoor sound level is measured continuously at 1 m from the facade. The indoor sound level is measured at the centre of each room at regular time intervals. Field measurements were conducted in the 2 BHK apartment, and the results were processed to assign each room's acoustic class and determine the residence’s Key Performance Index in terms of acoustic comfort. The results of this research will be optimized in the upcoming research phase using Pachyderm (Grasshopper plugin) to find the best design parameters for the facade to achieve good acoustic comfort in a residence.