Abstract
Several room acoustic parameters have to be considered in ordinary public rooms, such as offices and classrooms, in order to present the actual conditions, thus increasing demands on the acoustic treatment. The most common acoustical treatment in ordinary rooms is a suspended absorbent ceiling. Due to the non-uniform distribution of the absorbent material, the classical diffuse field assumption is not fulfilled in such cases. Further, the sound scattering effect of non-absorbing objects such as furniture are considerable in these types of rooms. Even the directional characteristic of the sound scattering objects are of importance. The sound decay curve in rooms with absorbent ceilings often demonstrate a double slope. Thus, it is not possible to use reverberation time as room parameter as a representative standalone acoustic measure. An evaluation that captures the true room acoustical conditions therefore needs supplementary parameters. The aim of this experimental study is to show how various acoustical treatments affect reverberation time T20, speech clarity C50 and sound strength G. The experiment was performed in a mock-up of a classroom. The results demonstrated how absorbers, diffusers and scattering objects influence room acoustical parameters. It is shown that to some extent the parameters can be adjusted individually by using different treatments or combination of treatments. This allows for the fine-tuning of the acoustical conditions, in order to fulfill the requirements for achieving a high-quality sound environment.
Highlights
In ordinary public rooms, the typical acoustic treatment is a suspended absorbent ceiling
Acoustical treatment in classrooms should secure good listening conditions; it has been reported that teachers suffer from voice disorders to a greater degree than the rest of the population [5]
The following section is divided into four different subsections, presenting the room acoustic parameters for different configurations
Summary
The typical acoustic treatment is a suspended absorbent ceiling. Examples of ordinary public rooms are classrooms, offices, health care premises and restaurants. Many people spend their working days in those spaces performing a variety of different activities. The importance of good acoustical conditions in schools, with classrooms that support speech communication, as well as concentrated work, is well documented. Several surveys in school environments have emphasized the detrimental effects of insufficient acoustic treatment in classrooms [1,2]. Acoustical treatment in classrooms should secure good listening conditions; it has been reported that teachers suffer from voice disorders to a greater degree than the rest of the population [5]. Objective measures for voice support in medium-sized classrooms have been developed [6,7,8]
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