Building Materials and Acoustics

A special issue of Acoustics (ISSN 2624-599X).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2023) | Viewed by 27006

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
School of the Built Environment and Architecture, London South Bank University, London SE1 0AA, UK
Interests: building acoustics; acoustic materials; noise&vibration control; biomedical acoustics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Building materials and acoustics proposes to provide acoustic solutions that enrich the listening experience of human subjects in the room. Outdoor and building noise have a major impact on our sleep. In a room, a peaceful environment is needed to get a good sleep without being distracted by sound from within the building and outside world. In a theatre/concert hall and cinema the audiences require to hear the stage performance at sufficient level and of the best quality without being distracted by external noise. Careful design of buildings with improved acoustic features is essential in managing the quality of the perceived sound in the room. Sound absorbing materials and meta-materials could solve noise problems in building at some extent if they are used correctly in-built environment.

This special issue of Journal of Acoustics is about Building Materials and Acoustics. The aim of this special issue is to publish state-of-the-art research in different aspects of building materials and acoustics that will be contributing to improvement of human health and wellbeing and quality of human perception of sound in rooms.  

Scope

  • Room acoustics, including cinemas, theatres, schools, holy spaces etc.
  • Acoustics for schools (classroom acoustics).
  • Diffusers for closed spaces.
  • Sound-absorbing materials.
  • Metamaterials for buildings.
  • Building vibration and control.
  • Noise from household appliances, including heat pump noise.
  • Low-frequency noise from houses.
  • Sound insulation.
  • Speech intelligibility and speech privacy in buildings.
  • Auditorium design.
  • Room physical acoustics.
  • Smart acoustic windows.

I would like to invite academics/researchers to contribute to this special issue by submitting research papers, review papers, and case studies that incorporating computational, experimental, and theoretical research related to building materials and acoustics.

Dr. Haydar Aygun
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

Jump to: Review

21 pages, 20618 KiB  
Article
Design of Optimal Sound Absorbers Using Acoustic Diffusers for Multipurpose Auditoriums
by Domingo Pardo-Quiles, Ignacio Rodríguez-Rodríguez and José-Víctor Rodríguez
Acoustics 2024, 6(1), 219-239; https://doi.org/10.3390/acoustics6010012 - 6 Mar 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2439
Abstract
The main goal of this research was to design and study the best structure, location, and shape of acoustic diffusers to be fitted on the ceilings of multipurpose auditoriums. Their absorbing properties can enhance the acoustics when installed on high ceilings, and behind [...] Read more.
The main goal of this research was to design and study the best structure, location, and shape of acoustic diffusers to be fitted on the ceilings of multipurpose auditoriums. Their absorbing properties can enhance the acoustics when installed on high ceilings, and behind suspended reflecting panels, by mitigating or nullifying specular reflections that could overcome the panels and, thus, avoiding time delay gaps exceeding 30–40 ms compared with the direct sound. For this purpose, a typical medium-sized room, with inclined floors, a stage, and 20 rows of seats, was considered. The allocation and height of the considered diffusers were based on the Schroeder quadratic residue sequence, and they were modeled as rectangles, wedges, cylinders, and Y-shaped elements. A standardized speech source spectrum was analyzed for up to five different receiver locations. In this way, the attenuation parameter as a function of frequency was evaluated and compared between the candidate diffusers in order to identify the best absorber. The simulations were undertaken with a software tool previously validated by the authors called PARDOS, which incorporates an innovative formulation based on the uniform theory of diffraction (UTD) to analyze multiple diffractions and reflections of acoustic waves. The results show that the new Y-shaped diffusers proposed, tuned for the hearing frequency band from 250 Hz up to 10,000 Hz, attained the best acoustic performance in terms of absorption. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Building Materials and Acoustics)
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20 pages, 12510 KiB  
Article
Wooden Rehearsal Rooms from the Construction Process to the Musical Performance
by Maria Cairoli
Acoustics 2024, 6(1), 114-133; https://doi.org/10.3390/acoustics6010007 - 27 Jan 2024
Viewed by 2401
Abstract
Rehearsal rooms play an important role in musicians’ activities to obtain the best results during a performance in front of an audience. Numerous rehearsal rooms are located in complex buildings, such as opera houses and cultural centers, where new research outcomes have led [...] Read more.
Rehearsal rooms play an important role in musicians’ activities to obtain the best results during a performance in front of an audience. Numerous rehearsal rooms are located in complex buildings, such as opera houses and cultural centers, where new research outcomes have led to increasingly complex projects and construction phases. Furthermore, technical complexity has also increased due to the large quantity of used materials and the innovation level of the process. In this context, a new methodology becomes mandatory to control the indoor air quality and the acoustic quality in rehearsal rooms. This paper aims to offer a procedure for rehearsal rooms for large ensembles during the construction and life cycle phases to optimize the indoor environmental quality according to different types of ensembles and repertoires. In particular, rehearsal rooms with wood panel cladding are considered. The proposed methodology is controlled by a digital twin (DT) based on building information modeling (BIM), integrated with acoustic measurements, sensors and actuators aimed at implementing the database in real time. A case study is presented, in which the cladding system is described, the new methodology is applied, and the results are compared with the criteria suggested in the standard ISO 23591. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Building Materials and Acoustics)
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17 pages, 3780 KiB  
Article
Recording, Processing, and Reproduction of Vibrations Produced by Impact Noise Sources in Buildings
by Franz Dolezal, Andreas Reichenauer, Armin Wilfling, Maximilian Neusser and Rok Prislan
Acoustics 2024, 6(1), 97-113; https://doi.org/10.3390/acoustics6010006 - 17 Jan 2024
Viewed by 2781
Abstract
Several studies on the perception of impact sounds question the correlation of standardized approaches with perceived annoyance, while more recent studies have come to inconsistent conclusions. All these studies neglected the aspect of whole-body vibrations, which are known to be relevant for the [...] Read more.
Several studies on the perception of impact sounds question the correlation of standardized approaches with perceived annoyance, while more recent studies have come to inconsistent conclusions. All these studies neglected the aspect of whole-body vibrations, which are known to be relevant for the perception of low-frequency sound and can be perceived especially in lightweight constructions. Basically, the contribution of vibrations to impact sound annoyance is still unknown and could be the reason for the contradictory results. To investigate this aspect, we measured vibrations on different types of floors under laboratory conditions and in situ. For this purpose, a vibration-sensing device was developed to record vibrations more cost-effectively and independently of commercial recording instruments. The vibrations of predefined impact sequences were recorded together with the sound field using a higher-order ambisonics microphone. In addition, a vibration exposure device was developed to expose the test objects to the exact vibrations that occur in the built environment. The vibration exposure device is integrated into the ambisonics reproduction system, which consists of a large number of loudspeakers in a spherical configuration. The article presents the development and performance achieved using the vibration-sensing unit and the vibration exposure device. The study is relevant for conducting future impact sound listening tests under laboratory conditions, which can be extended to include the reproduction of vibrations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Building Materials and Acoustics)
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12 pages, 3469 KiB  
Communication
Non-Special Loudspeakers as Speech Test Sources in Natural Acoustics Speech Intelligibility Investigations
by Luis Gomez-Agustina, Haydar Aygun and Liji Suseela Thankom Mohan
Acoustics 2023, 5(3), 619-630; https://doi.org/10.3390/acoustics5030038 - 29 Jun 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2309
Abstract
Objective speech intelligibility estimations undertaken in natural acoustics speech communications (NAS) scenarios require the utilization of a speech source that approximates the acoustic characteristics of a human talker. Only a limited number of special speech sources that conform to the specifications in the [...] Read more.
Objective speech intelligibility estimations undertaken in natural acoustics speech communications (NAS) scenarios require the utilization of a speech source that approximates the acoustic characteristics of a human talker. Only a limited number of special speech sources that conform to the specifications in the relevant guidelines are available in the market; however, they can be deemed expensive by professional practitioners and other users. Non-special and affordable loudspeakers are often used in NAS investigations in place of standardized special speech sources without the knowledge of their suitability and results validity. This study aims to examine the suitability of a range of representative common and affordable non-special loudspeakers as a potential alternative to standardized speech sources in NAS indicative or pilot investigations. Frequency response and Speech Transmission Index Public Address (STIPA) experimental results obtained from a reference standardized speech source were compared against results from various non-special loudspeakers measured utilizing diverse and real-world representative combinations of NAS acoustic conditions under controlled laboratory conditions. STIPA mean absolute errors for the alternative speech sources were generally lower than the STIPA method uncertainty and one Just Noticeable Difference (0.03 STI). The findings of this study will inform practitioners of the suitability of affordable loudspeakers when standardized special test loudspeakers are not available. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Building Materials and Acoustics)
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15 pages, 5318 KiB  
Article
The Bell-Shaped Opera Houses Realised by Antonio Galli Bibiena: Acoustic Comparison between the Communal Theatre of Bologna and the Scientific Theatre of Mantua
by Antonella Bevilacqua and Lamberto Tronchin
Acoustics 2023, 5(2), 586-600; https://doi.org/10.3390/acoustics5020036 - 20 Jun 2023
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3424
Abstract
Many acoustic studies have been carried out in the Italian theatres built during the 17th and 18th centuries. Along with the development of technology, acoustic measurements become increasingly more accurate, able to capture the faithful acoustic conditions of these cultural heritage buildings that [...] Read more.
Many acoustic studies have been carried out in the Italian theatres built during the 17th and 18th centuries. Along with the development of technology, acoustic measurements become increasingly more accurate, able to capture the faithful acoustic conditions of these cultural heritage buildings that are considered icons for representing the house of sound. Although considered controversial for their innovative geometry and shape, the plan layouts proposed by the architect Antonio Galli Bibiena for the theatres placed in Bologna and Mantua were remarkable and appreciated by the audience given the florid artistical program run over the seasons. Site were undertaken in order to analyse the acoustic response of the main halls. From the recorded impulse response, both monoaural and binaural acoustic parameters were compared between the two theatres, where the analysis separately considered the stalls and balconies. The historical background of the selected theatres was detailed to understand the acoustic behaviour of the main halls. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Building Materials and Acoustics)
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11 pages, 2465 KiB  
Article
Visual Speech Recognition for Kannada Language Using VGG16 Convolutional Neural Network
by Shashidhar Rudregowda, Sudarshan Patil Kulkarni, Gururaj H L, Vinayakumar Ravi and Moez Krichen
Acoustics 2023, 5(1), 343-353; https://doi.org/10.3390/acoustics5010020 - 16 Mar 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 4101
Abstract
Visual speech recognition (VSR) is a method of reading speech by noticing the lip actions of the narrators. Visual speech significantly depends on the visual features derived from the image sequences. Visual speech recognition is a stimulating process that poses various challenging tasks [...] Read more.
Visual speech recognition (VSR) is a method of reading speech by noticing the lip actions of the narrators. Visual speech significantly depends on the visual features derived from the image sequences. Visual speech recognition is a stimulating process that poses various challenging tasks to human machine-based procedures. VSR methods clarify the tasks by using machine learning. Visual speech helps people who are hearing impaired, laryngeal patients, and are in a noisy environment. In this research, authors developed our dataset for the Kannada Language. The dataset contained five words, which are Avanu, Bagge, Bari, Guruthu, Helida, and these words are randomly chosen. The average duration of each video is 1 s to 1.2 s. The machine learning method is used for feature extraction and classification. Here, authors applied VGG16 Convolution Neural Network for our custom dataset, and relu activation function is used to get an accuracy of 91.90% and the recommended system confirms the effectiveness of the system. The proposed output is compared with HCNN, ResNet-LSTM, Bi-LSTM, and GLCM-ANN, and evidenced the effectiveness of the recommended system. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Building Materials and Acoustics)
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Review

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29 pages, 610 KiB  
Review
A Review of Finite Element Methods for Room Acoustics
by Albert G. Prinn
Acoustics 2023, 5(2), 367-395; https://doi.org/10.3390/acoustics5020022 - 4 Apr 2023
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 7724
Abstract
Accurate predictions of the wave-dominated region of an acoustic field in a room can be generated using wave-based computational methods. One such method is the finite element method (FEM). With presently available computing power and advanced numerical techniques, it is possible to obtain [...] Read more.
Accurate predictions of the wave-dominated region of an acoustic field in a room can be generated using wave-based computational methods. One such method is the finite element method (FEM). With presently available computing power and advanced numerical techniques, it is possible to obtain FEM predictions of sound fields in rooms with complicated geometries and complex boundary conditions in realistic time frames. The FEM has been continuously developed since its inception and attempts to provide solutions in real time using finite element-based methods are beginning to appear in the literature; these developments are especially interesting for auralization and virtual acoustics applications. To support these efforts, and provide a resource for neophytes, the use of the FEM for room acoustics is reviewed in this article. A history is presented alongside examples of the method’s derivation, implementation, and solutions. The current challenges and state-of-the-art are also presented, and it is found that the most recent contributions to the field make use of one or a mixture of the following: the finite element-based discontinuous Galerkin method, extended reaction boundary conditions written in the frequency domain but solved in the time domain, and the solution of large-scale models using parallel processing and graphics processing units. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Building Materials and Acoustics)
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