Architectural Acoustics

Chapel designed by Spanish-born architect Felix Candela, manipulating the complex geometry of a hyperbolic paraboloid and built with in-situ poured concrete in a wooden formwork. On a construction standpoint, the materialization of non-standard geometries in architecture, using traditional construction technology (formwork) can be used to identify traditional shortcomings and point to new possibilities in future developments.

In this paper we present an analysis of the two University of Milan's Auditoria acoustical proprieties and a comparison of the results. The acoustical parameters involved in the measurements were reverberation time, Early Decay Time (EDT), clarity index C80, definition index D50, Initial time delay gap (ITDG) obtained by analysis of binaural impulse response. The comparison of the data have pointed out that one of the auditoria is multipurpose, while the second one is best designed for speech only. The different behavior was explained with consideration on the shape of the hall and on material used in the auditoria.

When the Strehler theatre was planned, its performances from the acoustics point of view have not been taken in the right account. As a consequence, the theatre has now an appreciable visual impact but a poor acoustics. Thanks to the first measurements we have been able to ascribe the main reasons of the lack of good acoustics to the shape and the materials of the hall. Therefore we first suggested some simple operations to improve the acoustics of the theatre. The results have validated our simulation model and we have been able to identify the definitive structural operations for a good listening of music and drama as described in this paper. In 1997 a new theatre was opened in Milano: the Strehler theatre. The theatre was originally planned to host drama only, but later on the management decided to perform musical events too. As the lack of good acoustics came out very soon, the management ask the Acoustic Laboratory of the Milano -Bicocca University to study the problem and to suggest some solution. Regarding the acoustical characteristics, the Strehler theatre is essentially made of three connected sections: the stage, the stalls, and the balcony. Of the three sections the stage has the simplest form: it is shaped after a regular parallelepiped 25 m wide, 16 m long and 24 m high. The only relevant acoustical characteristics is the presence of a false ceiling made of wood rules 10 cm wide and 0.5 cm apart. The base shape of the stalls is an irregular eight sided polygon, with equal paired sides with respect to the symmetry axis. The length of the paired sides are: 18.5 m, 6.5 m, 11.5 m, and 3.5 m respectively. The slope of the stalls places each seat 8 cm higher than the preceding one thus allowing, for all the audience, both a full vision and a good reception of the direct sound originating at the stage. The stalls consist of 550 seats in 16 rows. The gallery, of the same form of the stalls, but with a greater slope, is placed 3 m above the latter. This feature allows the reception of the direct sound from the stage but also a short distance and an acceptable sound intensity. The gallery consists of 404 seats in 8 rows. The theatre, specially designed for drama, turned out to be unsuitable for musical programs but soon displayed some limitation even for drama itself.

This study aims to fill the gap between the endless possibilities of the parametric design process and the detailed acoustic analyses. The developed methodology consists of a custom parametric algorithm that explores the variations of possible interior implementations based on material properties, geometrical formations, and positions in the room to optimize the acoustic response of the space. The proposed methodology assists the design process in the very early phase and explores diverse options. In the first stage, all variations are evaluated in Pachyderm for rapid feedback and to reduce the possibilities for further analysis. The second stage was a detailed evaluation of the first design selection in Odeon and the selection of the best design proposal from the generated. The implemented parametric approach is described, and the final approved design evaluations are presented.

Verifying the suitability and applicability of acoustic standards is essential to ensure their relevance and effectiveness across diverse sociocultural contexts. The international standard for soundscape assessment, ISO 12913, provides a framework for integrating human perception into environmental acoustics, particularly in urban planning and design. However, as urban spaces evolve, these standards need regular review to address new challenges and priorities. Surveys and focus groups are key methods for verifying these standards. Surveys gather data on public perceptions, experiences, and expectations of acoustic environments, offering insights into the effectiveness of existing standards. Focus groups, meanwhile, facilitate in-depth discussions among stakeholders, including residents, experts, and policymakers, revealing gaps and areas for improvement. This work presents the results of a survey and focus group conducted by Brazilian experts in soundscape during the first semester of 2025. These findings not only highlight gaps in the applicability of ISO 12913 in the Brazilian context but also provide valuable insights for its contextual refinement, supporting future research and informed policy decisions in Brazil’s soundscape studies.

L’articolo pone in relazione l’acustica e la matrice tipologica dell’architettura. Nonostante spesso si sostenga che la forma degli ambienti dedicati all’ascolto nasca come risposta a determinati requisiti acustici, la riflessione porta a concludere che l’architettura dei luoghi si leghi fondamentalmente ad un tipo architettonico, quella matrice formale che ne orienta i riferimenti compositivi, funzionali e costruttivi. A cio si deve la lenta trasformazione della forma degli ambienti teatrali o musicali, un’evoluzione durante la quale le conoscenze in materia di acustica risultarono scarse, verosimilmente poco significative per essere di ausilio al progetto architettonico. ------ The article relates the acoustics and the typological matrix of architecture. Although it often argues that the form of listening environments arises as a response to certain acoustic requirements, reflection leads to the conclusion that the architecture of the sites is fundamentally linked to an architectu...

Regenerative building design represents a paradigm shift from current sustainability practices towards a new design approach, as it focuses not only on limiting negative impacts but also on promoting a positive contribution to social and ecological systems. Regenerative design and indoor soundscape research share a multidisciplinary approach and the common aim of improving people ́s health and well-being. Indeed, soundscape science, originally developed in the context of urban planning, has been recently applied to the indoor built environment as a research framework that integrates noise control engineering methods with physical, social, and psychological approaches in order to foster the design of indoor spaces positively perceived by building users. The five questions presented in this paper investigate several aspects related to this emerging field of research: 1) the contribution of acoustic design to regenerative buildings; 2) differences and similarities between indoor and ou...

The growing complexity of buildings requires students attending architecture schools to integrate many different specialized capabilities while still focusing on design principles and practices. First this paper reviews the breadth and depth education in acoustics among the 11 University Schools of Architecture in Canada which have been granted CACB Accreditation. The paper discusses the content and educational approaches followed in these schools. Then, the paper focuses on the recent evolution experienced at the Department of Architectural Science of Ryerson University.Teaching through project-oriented education has been recently introduced and the unique challenges of such an approach are discussed.  This hands-on approach, focusing on both smartphone measurements and preliminary simulations, encourages students to develop a professional attitude for applying theoretical principles to the solution of acoustic basic problems.

Noise pollution is a phenomenon that affects many large cities and is caused by several factors, one of which is traffic noise due to the high population density in urban areas. This paper aims to investigate three retrofitting techniques to reduce traffic-induced noise on the main faç ade of the architectural department building at Cairo University. Initial physical measurements recorded a minimum noise level of 63.9 dB(A), exceeding World Health Organization (WHO) standards. The first technique explores geometry manipulation by altering the inclination angles (5° and 15°) of the faç ade protrusions. The second technique evaluates two sound-absorbing cladding materials: green wall systems and coarse concrete tiling. The third technique combines the two approaches, applying the cladding materials to the optimized angles. Using I-Simpa as a computational simulation tool, the sound pressure levels (SPL) resulting from each technique were analyzed. The results indicate that the base case scenario with a 0.75-meter protrusion achieved an average SPL reduction of 1.7 dB(A) with a green wall and 2.4 dB(A) with coarse concrete. However, implementing a combination of techniques-including increased protrusion, inclination, and surface treatment-proved more effective, achieving a maximum SPL reduction of 2.8 dB(A) from the highest recorded level. This study demonstrates the potential of integrated retrofitting strategies to address urban noise pollution effectively.

📌 I3DA2025 International Conference on Immersive and 3D Audio

📣 Special Session on Resounding the Past: Immersive Technologies and the Heritage Acoustics of Performance Spaces

💁‍♂️ 💁‍♀️ A special session on “Resounding the Past: Immersive Technologies and the Heritage Acoustics of Performance Spaces” will take place as part of the 2025 International Conference on Immersive and 3D Audio (#I3DA) focus on 3D immersive audio including architectural acoustics, virtual acoustics, automotive acoustics, subjective evaluations and listening tests, immersive soundscape design and creative uses of immersive technologies. I3DA 2025 would like to involve academic and industrial researchers to share their latest research, methods, and demos related to Immersive and 3D Audio in Audio Engineering.

➡️ Topics furthermore include heritage acoustics, virtual/augmented reality and their applications, musical acoustics, signal processing in acoustics, non-linear acoustics in auralisation, machine learning related to acoustics, psychoacoustics, 3D audio for gaming, 3D audio in art and sound studies contexts, bioacoustics and the environment.

🏢 The University of Bologna will host this conference from 10th to 12th September, 2025
The Special Session on “Resounding the Past: Immersive Technologies and the Heritage Acoustics of Performance Spaces” will be chaired by our researcher Angela Bellia, scientific advisory board member of the I3DA, along with Antonella Bevilacqua (University of Parma)

🔎 🎶 The session aims to investigate how acoustic modelling and virtual reality (VR), combined with advanced 3D audio technologies such as binaural audio and ambisonics, are transforming our understanding of the relationship between space, performance, and audience.

🙋‍♂️ General Conference Chair: Lamberto Tronchin (University of Bologna)

ℹ️ Find out more here
👉 https://www.i3da2025.org/
The Conference Program is available here: https://easychair.org/smart-program/I3DA2025/

#sonicheritage #Heritageacoustics

Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna
I3DA 2025

In this paper, I derive the fine-structure constant α as an emergent and parameter-free invariant of Relator theory. The construction uses the Schrödinger equation, classical electrodynamics and mechanics, and Relator geometry with luminal evolution on the C-space and the orthogonal spatial sector R 3 , which xes a minimal phase cavity and the Coulombic baseline. A transverse traceless inductive channel is incorporated through a UV, IR, and OUT decomposition, and a logarithmic closure uniquely determines α with no tted numbers and with no use of measured constants e, c, and ℏ. No quantum electrodynamics is invoked at any stage. The prediction matches the most precise independent measurements at sub-ppt accuracy and remains stable under regulator choices and multipole cutos.

Hundreds of FAA-sponsored sound insulation projects have been completed for residences, schools and places of worship around U. S. airports over the past twenty years, and many more are starting or continuing. As a quality control procedure the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires pre- and post-construction acoustical testing to ensure that noise level reduction standards are met 1 . Several

The object of the research was to create a computer model of the Stanisław Moniuszko Grand Theater in Poznań. The scope of the study included changing the parameters of the ceiling over the orchestra pit, while not significantly changing the acoustic parameters of the entire interior. The study attempted to determine whether in the existing (or recently designed) hall, modifying the ceiling parameters could improve the sound quality for the audience. The main parameter was the specific weight of the ceiling. The influence of repositioning the inclined ceiling, its angle of inclination and size was also examined. The result of the conducted tests was unambiguous. The acoustic properties of the hall correlated with the weight of the ceiling acoustically connecting the orchestra with the audience. This is worth noting during the design stage of a concert hall.

The city of Bursa has a multi-cultural background and hosts a diverse architectural heritage inherited from the Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman, and Republican periods. A lost architectural and urban heritage of the city is the Bursa Mevlevi Lodge, which was built between the 17th and 19th centuries. After all the dervish lodges were closed by a law enacted in 1925, Bursa Mevlevi Lodge lost its original function, too. The complex was used for public, residential, and religious purposes until it was demolished in the 1950s due to neglect and abandonment and lost its place in urban memory. Recently, the complex was reconstructed in 2023 and re-functioned as a museum related to Mevlevi culture and Semahane. This article aims to analyze the history and architecture of the complex in the context of Mevlevi culture and Ottoman Mevlevi Lodge architecture. In conclusion, the article reveals that the authenticity of the complex is that it is shaped around the Semahane and identifies its tangible and intangible values and cultural significance in terms of urban history. The article also discusses the justification of the reconstruction as "a controversial heritage conservation method" and the concept of authenticity in the context of contemporary architectural conservation theory.

Reproduced a restaurant at one of E.T.S.A.B’s classrooms, we raised to mature the previous experiences though the incorporation of sound absorbent material in the ceilling that allowed us to reduce Rt values to 0.5 s without occupation. We performed this study with real occupation, variable in gender and identical in number and distribution to the previous experiencies. Apliying objectives and subjectives methods, we evaluted the improvement that this new treatment contributes to conversation’s intelligibility. We compared the results obtained in this new study with those obtained in the original experimental situation and theorical study developed in models previously validated.

For the first time, ten teams of sound curators, coordinated by members of the research group URBAURAMON dedicated to Intelligent tools for managing and control of the urban soundscape (BIA 2016 – 76957 – C3 – R) as well as the Ajuntament de Barcelona and La Fabrica del Sol, recorded and measured the soundscape of the 10 local councils of the city of Barcelona, during the evening of April 26th 2017, the International Noise Awareness Day, under the motto Barcelona Sone, so as to locate in the map Barcelona + Sostenible. Por primera vez diez equipos curadores de sonidos, coordinados por miembros del grupo de investigacion URBAURAMON dedicado a las Herramientas inteligentes para la gestion y control del paisaje sonoro urbano (BIA 2016 – 76957 – C3 – R) asi como de L’Ajuntament de Barcelona y de La Fabrica del Sol, han salido a grabar y medir los paisajes sonoros de las 10 Sedes de Distrito de la ciudad de Barcelona, durante la tarde del 26 de abril de 2017, Dia Internacional de Concien...

This paper describes the design principles underlying the Round Robin Test (RRT) carried out among the laboratories of the Sound Absorption working group of the Italian Standardization Body (UNI). In recent years, the determination of the measurement uncertainties in the fields of building and room acoustics has attracted increasing attention. In particular, sound absorption in a diffuse sound field might be difficult to determine, especially for very highly absorptive materials. Results coming from different laboratories cannot always be compared, due to differences in the actual sound field found in nominally equivalent facilities. During this RRT, carefully selected samples have been measured in the reverberation rooms of the different laboratories participating in the RRT according to standard ISO 354 in force as well as the newly proposed draft. The procedure will be presented in the paper.

Acoustic Intelligibility is one of the great important subjects for the performance of many environments such as catholic churches. Such places are used for many types of performances requiring adequate intelligibility for speech and clarity for music. The acoustic performance of worship places has been studied for a while because such places can accommodate not only religious events but also different kinds of events related or not to religion. Along Catholicism history, the church as an institution has been changing over the years the procedure of its rituals such as the mass and opening their temples to other kinds of performances making the acoustic performance of such environments require great deal of complexity. This research analyzed six catholic churches in the city of Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil. Churches were chosen according its period of construction and architectural typology. The objective of this research is to study the acoustic performance of these churches and establish a relationship with the architectural characteristics of the temple. Measurement of acoustic parameters such as Reverberation Time (RT), Early Decay Time (EDT), Clarity Index (C80), Definition (D50) and Speech Transmission Index (STI) were used to analyze the acoustic performance of the churches. Measurements were done according to ISO 3382-1:2009. Churches can be considered performance spaces due to its broader possibilities of use, making it possible to compare its data with other similar researches. Results were also analyzed according to procedures specifically proposed for those spaces found in the literature making it possible to qualify the acoustic behavior of churches for each specific use and allowing further studies and comparisons.

Background and objectives: Understanding and studying architectural experience in its entirety has attracted the attention of architects and researchers in phenomenology in recent decades. Some of the studies in this field concentrate on the embodied and multisensory nature of this experience and criticise the 'ocular-centrism' in architecture. A significant mode of our environmental perception, 'auditory experience' deserves to be recognised and scrutinised as a mode of architectural experience, against the common perception that architecture has often been understood as a thing which comes into 'sight'. This paper intends to disclose the strong contribution of auditory experience in architectural experience, which has not so far been addressed in terms of connections between architectural and auditory phenomenology.
Materials and Methods: The paper as ‘inquiry-based’ research seeks the answer through logical reasoning. To that end, it focuses on ‘architectural experience’ and ‘auditory experience’. Firstly, the three aspects of architectural experience, namely, events, physicality, and atmosphere, are introduced. It is followed with introductions to the structural features of auditory experience:event-basedness, temporality, spatiality, embodiment, meaningfulness, relationality, and characterfulness are described. Referring to the two aspects of architectural experience and structural features of auditory experience, and also posing two new concepts of ‘evident hearing’ and ‘latent hearing,’ the paper describes the contribution of the auditory in architectural experience.
Results and conclusion: To conclude, the paper establishes the incorporation and integrity of all aspects of architectural experience in the auditory space. This unification is made possible through the coherence, integrity, and atmosphericness of the auditory space, playing a key role in a thorough architectural experience. In this way, the auditory understanding of architecture through hearing is analogous to its understanding through vision.

This publication explores the intricate interplay between climate change and its effect on power system of Bangladesh, a country disproportionately vulnerable despite its minimal global emissions. It investigates the climate change threats that are uncontrollable automatically by the power system or manually. The study forecasts the ambient temperature increase on 2030 using the autoregressive integrated moving average method, a substantial 2°C increase in average monthly ambient temperature by 2030 has been found. Authors tried to illustrate the comprehensive impact of rising heat index between 2013 and 2020 on two local generation demand. The tentative respective generation demand and heat index on 2030 has been found using autoregressive integrated moving average method and plotted to see the growth on 2030, thus requiring to meet the growth on 2030 and requiring to keep factors in control that contribute to global warming. Sylhet Flood in June 2022 caused the zone to be cut off from national power grid. The study presents the reason of the flood through a comparative rainfall data. The study also addresses challenges faced by power stations due to river water level, heightened salinity impacting both cooling and electricity production. Some other climate changes on power generation mechanisms are also the considerations of the authors. Leveraging a comprehensive approach, blending technological innovation the paper highlights the urgent need for disaster recovery plans for power restoration in minimal time and funding as increasing climate-induced disruptions, such as cyclones and thunderstorms, pose significant threats to power stability in Bangladesh. The paper compiles the natural climate changes that are now and then forcing the power grid to cut off in Bangladesh, the severity of the calamity and directs as they should be taken as threat to the power system so that the awareness of prevention along with plan to mitigate the loss is built.

Soundscape research is attracting an ever-increasing worldwide interest from different disciplines and stakeholders. This brief commentary paper aims at offering some insights into the new directions this research (and practice) field will likely go, in the near future. For this purpose, eleven early-career soundscape researchers and practitioners were approached and asked to provide a response to the question "What are the current priorities and challenges for soundscape research?" Five recurring themes were identified in the participants' statements. A major concern of the interviewed sample is the need to bridge the academic and practice sides of the soundscape community, in order to better position this discipline in the broader framework of (urban) sound planning and design.

The acoustic quality of commercial spaces is often a problem confronting the designers. Ensuring adequate speech reception in relation to sound alarm systems in such spaces is one of the key factors determining the acoustic quality of a space. The aim of this paper is to present an initial, index-based method for the assessment of the acoustic quality of commercial spaces and buildings during the design process, taking into account selected architectural and acoustic parameters. The development of the method is based on acoustical computer models, literature and analyses of building types. The acoustic quality of commercial spaces and buildings is determined by speech intelligibility, which is mainly influenced by reverberation time within an enclosure. This is why analyses were focussed on reverberation time and other parameters related to speech intelligibility. Analyses concerning three types of commercial spaces: shops, corridors/shopping streets and atriums. For each type of the space there is a separate selection of main architectural and acoustical parameters having influence on the acoustical climate of the commercial enclosures and buildings. The presented method, separate for each commercial type, is expected to provide an easy-to-use assessment of a commercial space designed in terms of speech intelligibility, as required for sound alarm systems, conforming among other things, to applicable standards. The method is a practical tool for design and decision-making community: architects and designers. By applying this method, it is possible to increase the safety of commercial spaces and buildings occupants and reduce or avoid costs associated with improving the acoustic conditions of ready-to-use commercial spaces and buildings.

This paper introduces a theoretical formulation for a Temporal Coherence Network (TCN), a dynamic field model designed to represent coherence-driven information structures. Rooted in harmonic temporal oscillations, spatial wave modulation, and recursive feedback dynamics, the TCN model is relevant to systems ranging from biophotonic emission patterns to quantum-inspired memory loops. This framework opens a route to room-temperature, water-mediated quantum photonics.Temporal Coherence Networks (TCNs) are hypothetical field systems that evolve through time-sensitive harmonic components and exhibit spatially modulated coherence. This framework is motivated by experimental setups where water flow, light coherence, and resonant reflections suggest time-aware coherence dynamics, such as in biophoton
emission. we propose that surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) excited by time-varying acoustic and optical signals can enter a self-reinforcing feedback loop involving biophotonic emission and user cognition. Our hypothesis is that this interaction forms a spatiotemporal resonance network, leading to sustained coherence states observable
through photonic field interference patterns.

In this work, based on the use of high frequency (20MHz) focus ultrasonic transducer and echography, a highresolution three-dimensional acoustical imaging technique has been developed, permitting 3D reconstruction of the internal structure of materials at mesoscopic level. The data acquisition is realized by the combination of A, B and C scan in reflection mode. The 3D material structure is obtained by applying a surface reconstruction algorithm to the scanned volumetric data. Two application examples are shown to valid the method: the imaging of a 2D textile composite sample before and after a mechanical impact testing, and a porous bone sample. The material structure can be quantitatively evaluated and analyzed.

This paper analyses the major noise producing machines, the effects of the noise, its control methods and the extent of the utilisation of these methods by the Nigerian manufacturing companies. Nine companies were chosen as models to represent the overall manufacturing sectors in Nigeria. The noise produced by the various machines and equipment used in the production processes in the companies was analysed. Results obtained showed that electricity generating sets produced the highest noise, followed by air compressor, boiler, pressing machine and other machines put together, in that order. The results also revealed that more than half of the total effects of noise are on workers. The effects of noise on workers are more of physiological than psychological. It is recommended that engineering controls combined with administrative controls should be considered as the methods that will provide thorough and permanent solution to the noise problem in the manufacturing companies.

This paper proposes a vector sensor measurement model and the related Bartlett estimator based on particle velocity measurements for generic parameter estimation, illustrating the advantages of the Vector Sensor Array (VSA). A reliable estimate of the seabed properties such as sediment compressional speed, density and compressional attenuation based on matched-field inversion (MFI) techniques can be achieved using a small aperture VSA. It is shown that VSAs improve the resolution of seabed parameter estimation when compared with pressure sensor arrays with the same number of sensors. The data considered herein was acquired by a four-element VSA in the 8–14 kHz band, during the Makai Experiment in 2005. The results obtained with the MFI technique are compared with those obtained with a method proposed by C. Harrison, which determines the bottom reflection loss as the ratio between the upward and downward beam responses. The results show a good agreement and are in line with the histo...

Cylindrical cavities are mounted at some positions on fuselage and wings of commercial transport aircraft for various service functions. Such cavities were identified as potential airframe noise sources generating high intensity whistles at frequencies situated in the audible range of 0.5-0.8 kHz. The present paper focuses on the numerical simulation of the far field noise generated by the unsteady flow passing over a cylindrical cavity with an aspect ratio (diameter/height) equal to unity, using a numerical methodology combining a LES and a Kirchhoff integration method. The LES computation was done using ONERA's cell-center / finite-volume / CFD code named FLU3M. A laminar boundary layer profile was applied upstream the computational domain, without forcing any turbulence. The LES results were coupled with a 3D Kirchhoff method in the frequency domain. The computed far field noise was compared to dedicated experimental data, showing very good agreement, especially regarding the emission frequency. The final paper will present in detail the involved numerical methods, the computational procedure, and several comparisons to experimental data. This study was completed in the framework of the AEROCAV (AEROacoustique d'une CAVité cylindrique) project funded by the FRAE (Fondation Recherche Aéronautique et Espace).

Cylindrical cavities are mounted at some positions on fuselage and wings of commercial transport aircraft for various service functions. Such cavities were identified as potential airframe noise sources generating high intensity whistles at frequencies situated in the audible range of 0.5-0.8 kHz. The present paper focuses on the numerical simulation of the far field noise generated by the unsteady flow passing over a cylindrical cavity with an aspect ratio (diameter/height) equal to unity, using a numerical methodology combining a LES and a Kirchhoff integration method. The LES computation was done using ONERA's cell-center/finite-volume/CFD code named FLU3M. A laminar boundary layer profile was applied upstream the computational domain, without forcing any turbulence. The LES results were coupled with a 3D Kirchhoff method in the frequency domain. The computed far field noise was compared to dedicated experimental data, showing very good agreement, especially regarding the emi...

The investigation presented in this paper focuses on the following questions: How can engineering and architectural expertise guide a process of digital optimisation and add structural 'awareness' in real time to aesthetic considerations (or vice versa)? How can building geometry be set up computationally in order to render it 'sensitive' to structural input? Which tools are required to foster this interaction? The authors of this paper form a team of researchers and practitioners from architectural and engineering background who combine their efforts to address the issue of interconnecting design intelligence across disciplines and advancing work methodologies in practice assisted by academic research. A live case study project is presented as a test scenario in order to find answers the above questions.

This paper describes the usage of parametric design and evolutionary optimisation techniques in architect-engineer collaborations. It discusses the apparent challenges in setting up a trans-disciplinary working-platform that cuts across profession-specific boundaries and negotiates between the otherwise distinct work-methodologies through the use of intelligent CAAD applications. Two approaches to architectural form finding have been combined in this research. The first, parametric design, uses a proprietary package as a key element to the organisation and reorganisation of architectural design. By doing so, it is providing it with intrinsic flexibility allowing designers to go beyond form and accommodate performance data for versioning. The second, ESO (Evolutionary Structural Optimisation), is an engineering tool based on the use of finite element analysis (FEA) capable of optimising the formal geometry of an object to obtain minimum volume under even stress-distribution through a...

Industrialization has delivered profitable substance; also it has reacted in farther population, urbanization, obvious stress on the introductory life helping systems even as pushing the environmental affects closer to the brink limits of forbearance. Accumulating proof continuously shows that the transition of the being industriousness into eco-synthetic network via a hit performance of green techniques affords a attainable end result to store the herbal resources of the location even as simultaneously enhancing the indigenous financial system on a sustainable base. This paper makes a speciality of elements causing impact industrialisation on the environment. It has additionally led to the decline of the terrain and the environmental conditions, the foliage and fauna in one of a kind ecosystems, extermination of the rare species of creatures, stores and catcalls and the reduction of herbal coffers. It requires an relevant planning and integrated frame in harmony with the terrain, after cautious evaluation of history and triumphing situations. Convenient and random sampling method is used to collect the samples. Samples are accumulated based totally on the convenient sampling method from Thiruverkadu bus stand .The samples are of 200 numbers in specific .Statistics used inside the research is SPSS and bar graphs. The records turned into accrued from secondary resources like journals, articles, and so on. And primary records are age, gender, educational qualifications and occupation.

Industrialization has delivered profitable substance; also it has reacted in farther population, urbanization, obvious stress on the introductory life helping systems even as pushing the environmental affects closer to the brink limits of forbearance. Accumulating proof continuously shows that the transition of the being industriousness into eco-synthetic network via a hit performance of green techniques affords a attainable end result to store the herbal resources of the location even as simultaneously enhancing the indigenous financial system on a sustainable base. This paper makes a speciality of elements causing impact industrialisation on the environment. It has additionally led to the decline of the terrain and the environmental conditions, the foliage and fauna in one of a kind ecosystems, extermination of the rare species of creatures, stores and catcalls and the reduction of herbal coffers. It requires an relevant planning and integrated frame in harmony with the terrain, after cautious evaluation of history and triumphing situations. Convenient and random sampling method is used to collect the samples. Samples are accumulated based totally on the convenient sampling method from Thiruverkadu bus stand .The samples are of 200 numbers in specific .Statistics used inside the research is SPSS and bar graphs. The records turned into accrued from secondary resources like journals, articles, and so on. And primary records are age, gender, educational qualifications and occupation.

The academic quality is strongly related the interest of students to the classes, as well as the interaction between them with their teachers. The problem that can disturb this formation is the noise interference, which could complicate the understanding of the classes developed within the school context. In a classroom, are considered noise, the sounds that disturb the speech understanding of teachers by students, or affect the verbal response given by students to the teacher. Are also considered noise, sounds that distract the concentration causing the lost of the focus in the class. The unwanted sounds can permanently damage the health of students and teachers because they need to raise the tone of voice, which may cause damage to your vocal cords and / or their hearing systems. The quality acoustics of classrooms is recommended by INMETRO by ABNT NBR 10152:1987, which specifies the sound pressure levels that case if they exceeded, impair the health and education in classrooms. T...

Any sound field caused by one or more sound sources takes the form of an interior or an exterior sound field based on the source location. The representation of the interior or exterior sound field in terms of harmonics decomposition has been extensively studied in the literature. However, the interior and exterior sound fields often co-exist in nature to form a mixed wave field. The extraction of the exterior sound field from such a mixed field can be very useful in many acoustic processes, which is yet to be explored extensively. In this paper, we discuss a method to extract the exterior field from a mixed sound field for 2D height-invariant sound propagation. Such an extraction method can be employed to record a sound field in a noisy or interfered room or to perform dereverberation in a reverberant room where the sound fields due to the source signal and its reflections superimpose each other. We demonstrate two practical uses of the proposed method in the forms of (i) an exterior sound field recording in a mixed wave field and (ii) speech dereverberation in a simulated reverberant room.

Binaural room responses are normally measured on a listening subject in a room. The measurements, however, rapidly change with the source and receiver position. In addition, the measurements taken in a room can only be used to simulate scenes of that environment. In this work, an efficient parameterization of the binaural room transfer function is proposed, which has separable representations for the direct-path component and the reverberation component, thus providing a flexible way to generate binaural room responses for different environments and listeners. In addition, this parameterization uses wave equation solutions as basis functions and is continuous in space.

This article explores how wave motion principles are applied in architectural acoustics to enhance sound quality in built environments such as theaters, classrooms, and temples. It examines key acoustic phenomena-reflection, absorption, interference, and reverberation-and their role in the design of functional spaces. Case studies like the Teatro Colón and Walt Disney Concert Hall demonstrate how geometry, materials, and simulation technologies influence sound propagation. The study also emphasizes the importance of wave behavior not only in acoustic performance but also in structural resilience to seismic activity.

Lo studio presentato in questo articolo riguarda l'analisi della Insertion Loss fornita da un sistema frangisole, rispetto ai livelli di pressione sonora in facciata di un edificio. Il lavoro è stato portato a termine con simulazioni agli elementi finiti, calibrate con misure in camera semianecoica. In particolare si è osservata la variazione del livello di pressione sonora in funzione dell'inclinazione delle lamelle, della spaziatura reciproca, della loro dimensione e del piano dell'edificio simulato.

La memoria tratta delle problematiche acustiche degli ambienti per ufficio di tipo open plan. Vengono analizzate le principali configurazioni tipologico-funzionali che questi ambienti possono assumere e vengono individuate in particolare sei tipologie spaziali per le quali viene valutata la variazione di alcuni descrittori acustici (decadimento lineare, distanza di distrazione, tempo di riverberazione, STI) mediante il software raytracing Ramsete®. La recente letteratura tecnica è coerente nell'affermare che gli open plan office presentano condizioni ambientali peggiori degli uffici tradizionali a causa della mancanza di spazio individuale, della carenza di requisiti acustici, termici e di privacy, oltre che della cattiva qualità dell'aria e dell'elevata possibilità di distrazione per i lavoratori. Inoltre esiste una relazione evidente tra le qualità fisico-ambientali e le prestazioni dei lavoratori, nonché tra le stesse qualità e la soddisfazione degli impiegati verso il lavoro svolto. Nonostante questo, gli open plan office sono molto diffusi, soprattutto per le qualità economiche positive che rappresentano per i datori di lavoro. Il comfort acustico può essere definito come quella particolare condizione psicofisica per cui un individuo, immerso in un campo sonoro, si trova in condizioni di benessere rispetto all'attività che sta svolgendo. Esso è condizionato da fattori diversi che interagiscono tra loro come le caratteristiche fisiche della sorgente (la potenza sonora, lo spettro, la durata e l'andamento nel tempo), le caratteristiche dell'ambiente (la riflessione e la diffusione del suono), le caratteristiche individuali dei soggetti esposti (la sensibilità al disturbo e l'acuità uditiva) e l'attività svolta nello spazio analizzato. Due requisiti essenziali per la qualità acustica degli ambienti interni sono l'assenza di eccessivo disturbo e la buona ricezione.

Background noise levels and Reverberation Times were measured in 34 unoccupied classrooms. From these measurements, the values corresponding to different degrees of classroom occupancy were estimated, together with Speech Intelligibility. Results show that most unoccupied classrooms do not meet the required criteria, while in occupied classrooms the requirements are met only for medium/high levels of occupancy.

This paper explores the application of a specialized end-to-end framework, crafted to study historical soundscapes, with a specific focus on 18th-century Naples. The framework combines historical research, natural language processing, architectural acoustics, and virtual acoustic modelling to achieve historically accurate and physically based soundscape reconstructions. Central to this study is the development of a Historically Informed Soundscape (HIS) map, which concentrates on the urban spaces of Largo di Palazzo and Via Toledo in Naples. Using virtual and audio-augmented reality, the HIS map provides 3D spatialized audio, offering an immersive experience of the acoustic environment of 18th-century Naples. This interdisciplinary approach not only contributes to the field of sound studies but also represents a significant methodological innovation in the analysis and interpretation of historical urban soundscapes. By incorporating historical maps as interactive graphical user interfaces, the project fosters a dynamic, multisensory engagement with the past, offering a valuable tool for scholars, educators, and the public to explore and understand historical sensory environments.

This work concerns with the vibro acoustic characterization of a general aviation aircraft with the objective of designing solutions to reduce the inside noise level during the flight; first of all a new passive insulation, and then verifying the possibility of an active noise control approach. The acoustic characterization was performed into two different step; inflight acoustic and vibration measurements during a typical mission of the vehicle were initially measured, to characterize the acoustic levels and spectra elated to the different flight operations . Ground measurement were also performed to characterize the sound insulation properties of the aircraft structure . The next item was the partial re-design of the sound insulation pack for the vehicle by the use of innovative material; the choice of the best technical solution has been performed by the use of numerical prediction models and through experimental tests on modified samples of the aircraft structure. The in-flight ...

Building Information Modeling (BIM) enables collaborative data transfer between architects and engineers throughout the entire building's life cycle. While BIM examines physical parameters and management processes, it presents challenges in architectural acoustic analysis. This study aims to evaluate acoustic effects and perform room acoustic analyses in BIM tools that enable significant productivity gains in the construction industry and digitally support the planning, construction, and operation of structures. The research focuses on the prediction of the reverberation time, which is a main acoustics parameter. The literature review was conducted with a comprehensive bibliometric analysis. Using Autodesk Ecotect, acoustic analyses were performed on an educational building as a case study. Reverberation times were calculated at midfrequencies (500, 1000, 2000 Hz) in 1/3 octave bands. Suggestions to reduce high reverberation times due to reflective room conditions were developed and tested within the BIM tool. In conclusion, it was emphasized that design/renovation/improvement scenarios for acoustic analysis can be tested with BIM. It has been determined that the determination of the level of effect of other components with acoustic treatments made on BIM platforms can also provide added value to the projects designed according to outsourcing acoustic software.

This paper reports the preliminary measurement results for characterising the speech privacy performance of an open ceiling meeting room called Fabpod in RMIT University, where the Speech Privacy Class standardized in the ASTM E2638 was adopted in the measurements to rate the speech privacy performance. The background sound pressure level inside and outside the Fabpod and the sound pressure level differences at different locations inside and outside the Fabpod with different sound source locations were measured in one third octave bands from 50 Hz to 10000 Hz. Based on the measurement results, the Speech Privacy Class of the Fabpod was calculated. The conclusion is that the Fabpod cannot meet the normal speech privacy criteria and the meeting inside the Fabpod can easily be overheard outside. Speech privacy is affected by many factors including the speech attenuation from the sound source to the receiver and the level of the background noise. The speech attenuation from the sound so...

A simulation study is conducted to demonstrate in principle that time reversal processing can be used to locate sound sources in an outdoor urban area with many buildings. Acoustic pulse propagation in this environment is simulated using a two-dimensional finite difference time domain (FDTD) computation. Using the simulated time traces from only a few sensors and back propagating them with the FDTD model, the sound energy refocuses in the vicinity of the true source location. This time reversal numerical experiment confirms that using information acquired only at non-line-of-sight locations is sufficient to obtain accurate source locations in a complex urban terrain.

A general optimization interface for room acoustic prediction is presented. The interface is implemented in the CATT-Acoustic sequence (batch) processing module and allows for MATLAB [1] scripts, Windows executables, Rexx [2] or other scripts to be run inside a prediction sequence loop. Due to the parametric input format employed, a script can after each prediction in a loop read the results and update the input data for the next prediction. Examples of input data variations are geometry, absorption and scattering coefficients, sound source (position, type, aim, spectrum and position). These variations can be used for optimization and for data matching in cases where some input data is uncertain but e.g. a reverberation measurement exists, but also for controlled variation. The paper discusses the intriguing possibilities as well as the difficulties and pitfalls since an optimization of a system with so many degrees of freedom is not straightforward. On the other hand, in many situa...

Following the significant development of transportation infrastructure in recent years, Croatia has the need for adequate noise protection of the surrounding urban area. Construction of noise barriers is possible out of various materials such as wood, steel or concrete, but due to strict market conditions and demands for durability and static stability concrete noise barriers are most frequently used across Europe. Following this footsteps, Croatia has also increased the use of concrete noise barriers in recent years. Up to 50% of all noise protection barriers in Croatia are concrete based. Having reinforced concrete as a support structure, concrete noise barriers differ in the structure of the absorbing layer usually made out of expanded clay or wood fibres. RUCONBAR represents a new, eco-innovative concrete noise barrier solution. Innovative structure and method of obtaining the absorbing layer made out of recycled waste tyres has been developed and patented at the Faculty of Civi...