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Acoustical measurements in some Canadian homes
Bradley, J. S.
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National Research
Conseil national
,I no.1423
1Council Canada
de recherches Canada
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1Institute for
-
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lnstitut de
recherche en
construction
Acoustical Measurements in
Some Canadian Homes
by
J.S. Bradley
Reprinted from
Canadian Acoustics
Vol. 14, No. 4, 1986
p. 19-21
;p. 24-25
(IRC Paper No. 1423)
Price $2.00
NRCC 26712
N R C-
ClSTlL I B R A R Y
BIBLIOTHEQUE-"
I R C
CNRC-
IClSTACOUSTICAL MEASUREMENTS I N SOME CANADIAN HOMES J.S. B r a d l e y , I n s t i t u t e f o r Research i n C o n s t r u c t i o n ,
N a t i o n a l R e s e a r c h c o u n c i l , Ottawa, K I A OR6. ABSTRACT
The means and s t a n d a r d d e v i a t i o n s of s e v e r a l a c o u s t i c a l q u a n t i t i e s a r e p r e s e n t e d from measurements i n 602 m u l t i p l e r e s i d e n c e homes. Although n o t a random sample, t h e homes i n c l u d e d a p p r o x i m a t e l y e q u a l numbers of a p a r t m e n t b l o c k s and row h o u s i n g a s w e l l a s owners and r e n t e r s from t h r e e d i f f e r e n t urban a r e a s . The a c o u s t i c a l v a l u e s i n c l u d e d background n o i s e l e v e l s and complete t r a n s m i s s i o n l o s s measures of common w a l l s .
SOMMAIRE
L'auteur p r g s e n t e , 3 p a r t i r d e mesures e f f e c t u g e s dans 602
h a b i t a t i o n s Z logements m u l t i p l e s , l e s moyennes e t l e s & a r t s t y p e s d e p l u s i e u r s q u a n t i t i g s a c o u s t i q u e s . M s m e s ' i l ne s ' a g i s s a i t p a s d'un g c h a n t i l l o n n a g e a u h a s a r d , il g t a i t c o n s t i t u g d'un nombre approximativement g g a l d'immeubles e t d e maisons e n r a n g g e , e t d e p r o p r i g t a i r e s e t de l o c a t a i r e s de t r o i s r g g i o n s u r b a i n s . Les v a l e u r s a c o u s t i q u e s q u i o n t
6 t 6
mesuregs s o n t l e s s u i v a n t e s : lesniveaux d e b r u i t d e f o n d , les temps d e r g v e r b ' e r a t i o n e t l a p e r t e p a r t r a n s m i s s i o n d e s nmrs m i t oyens.
INTRODUCTION
A s p a r t of a l a r g e s u r v e y t o r e l a t e s u b j e c t i v e and o b j e c t i v e measures of p a r t y w a l l s between a d j a c e n t homes, v a l u e s of s e v e r a l a c o u s t i c a l q u a n t i t i e s were o b t a i n e d i n a l a r g e number of Canadian homes. I n t h e complete s u r v e y r e s i d e n t s i n 602 homes, (301 p a i r s of homes), were i n t e r v i e w e d . The homes were e v e n l y d i s t r i b u t e d among t h r e e Canadian urban a r e a s : Toronto, Vancouver, and M o n t r e a l , and were a p p r o x i m a t e l y e v e n l y d i v i d e d between a p a r t m e n t b l o c k s and row housing. There was a l s o a n approximately even s p l i t between owners and r e n t e r s f o r each
t y p e of housing. Homes i n c l u d e d i n t h e s u r v e y were s e l e c t e d from a v a i l a b l e row h o u s i n g and a p a r t m e n t b l o c k s t o g i v e t h e b r o a d e s t p o s s i b l e r a n g e of STC v a l u e s w h i l e f u l f i l l i n g t h e r e q u i r e d b a l a n c e between b u i l d i n g typ.es and between owners and r e n t e r s . Thus t h e s u r v e y d a t a do n o t r e p r e s e n t a random sample of a l l t y p e s of Canadian homes. I n s p i t e of t h i s l i m i t a t i o n , t h e d a t a p r o v i d e d a l a r g e
sample of measurements t h a t can be used t o o b t a i n ' t y p i c a l ' v a l u e s of s e v e r a l a c o u s t i c a l q u a n t i t i e s f o r t h e s e t y p e s of m u l t i p l e r e s i d e n c e b u i l d i n g s . Such i n f o r m a t i o n i s o f t e n u s e f u l f o r making c a l c u l a t i o n s of e x p e c t e d e f f e c t s under s u c h ' t y p i c a l ' c o n d i t i o n s , and i s p u b l i s h e d h e r e s o t h a t o t h e r s can make u s e of t h i s d a t a .
The main g o a l s of t h e s u r v e y were t o r e l a t e s u b j e c t i v e and o b j e c t i v e measures of p a r t y w a l l sound i n s u l a t i o n , t o e v a l u a t e v a r i o u s sound i n s u l a t i o n measures w i t h
r e s p e c t t o s u b j e c t i v e judgements, t o d e t e r m i n e o t h e r f a c t o r s i n f l u e n c i n g s u b j e c t i v e judgements, and t o produce d a t a t o a i d i n d e t e r m i n i n g a c c e p t a b l e l e v e l s of sound i n s u l a t i o n between homes. The r e s u l t s of a n a l y s e s t o s t u d y t h e s e f a c t o r s w i l l b e p u b l i s h e d i n o t h e r p a p e r s a s t h e y become a v a i l a b l e . MEASUREMENTS
The a c o u s t i c a l measurements i n c l u d e d i n t e g r a t e d A-weighted background n o i s e l e v e l s i n each of t h e 602 homes, and complete sound t r a n s m i s s i o n l o s s
u s i n g M e t r o s o n i c s dB-301 i n t e g r a t i n g d o s i m e t e r s p o s i t i o n e d i n t h e l i v i n g room of each home f o r a 24 h o u r p e r i o d . These p r o v i d e d A-weighted LEQ, (energy averaged sound l e v e l ) , measurements f o r t h e day, n i g h t , and complete 24 hour p e r i o d s , and a r e r e f e r r e d t o a s L R D , LEQN, and LEQ24 r e s p e c t i v e l y . The day p e r i o d w a s from
7:00 a.m. t o 10:OO p.m. and t h e n i g h t p e r i o d was from 10:OO p.m. t o 7:00 a.m.
Sound t r a n s m i s s i o n l o s s measurements were made g e n e r a l l y i n accordance w i t h ASTM E336 p r o c e d u r e s 1 , and normally between l i v i n g rooms. Sound l e v e l s were r e c o r d e d i n t h e s o u r c e and r e c e i v i n g rooms w i t h t h e n o i s e s o u r c e on and i n t h e r e c e i v i n g room w i t h t h e n o i s e s o u r c e o f f t o o b t a i n background n o i s e l e v e l s . R e v e r b e r a t i o n t i m e s , RT, were measured i n t h e r e c e i v i n g room i n 113 o c t a v e bands from 100 t o 4000 Hz t o i n c l u d e a l l bands r e q u i r e d f o r t h ~ ASTM E336 s t a n d a r d a s w e l l a s t h o s e r e q u i r e d by t h e r e l a t e d I S 0 s t a n d a r d s
.
The t r a n s m i s s i o n l o s s ,TI,,
was c a l c u l a t e d i n each 1 / 3 o c t a v e band a c c o r d i n g t o e q u a t i o n ( 1 ) .where NR = SPLs- SPLr
and NR i s t h e n o i s e r e d u c t i o n between rooms i n dB
SPLs i s t h e s p a c e averaged s o u r c e room sound p r e s s u r e level i n dB SPLr i s t h e s p a c e averaged r e c e i v i n g fooom sound p r e s s u r e l e v e l i n dB S i s t h e a r e a of t h e common w a l l i n m
A i s t h e t o t a l sound a b s o r p t i o n i n t h e r e c e i v i n g room i n m e t r i c s a b i n s From t h e 113 o c t a v e
TL
v a l u e s t h e o v e r a l l sound t r a n s m i s s i o n c l a s s , STC, w a sc a l c u l a t e d a c c o r d i n g t o ASTM ~ 4 1 3 ~ , a s w e l l a s t h e d i f f e r e n c e i n A-weighted l e v e l s , DA, between t h e s o u r c e and r e c e i v i n g room w i t h a p i n k s o u r c e spectrum. RESULTS
The mean and s t a n d a r d d e v i a t i o n of t h e p r i n c i p a l v a r i a b l e s a r e g i v e n i n T a b l e I. The mean LEQ24 was 46.2 dBA w i t h a s t a n d a r d d e v i a t i o n of j u s t under 8 dBA. A s would b e e x p e c t e d t h e daytime LEQ was s l i g h t l y h i g h e r and t h e n i g h t i m e LEQ w a s a few d e c i b e l s lower. The s t a n d a r d d e v i a t i o n s were q u i t e similar f o r a l l t h r e e measures. The d i s t r i b u t i o n of LEQ24 v a l u e s i n F i g u r e 1 i s s e e n t o b e q u i t e r e g u l a r .
TABLE I Means and S t a n d a r d D e v i a t i o n s of P r i n c i p a l Q u a n t i t i e s
Measure Mean S t a n d a r d D e v i a t i o n STC 49.7 4.7 D A 51.3 dB 5.1 dB Volume 57.0 m 3 3 2 64.1 m2 Area 10.7 m 6.0 m
Measured STC v a l u e s ranged from a low of 30 t o a h i g h of 60 w i t h a mean of 49.7 and a s t a n d a r d d e v i a t i o n of 4.7. Thus i n s p i t e of e f f o r t s t o o b t a i n a b r o a d r a n g e of STC v a l u e s most w a l l s had STC v a l u e s between 45 and 55. F i g u r e 2 shows t h e d i s t r i b u t i o n of measured STC v a l u e s . The mean measured DA v a l u e a s g i v e n i n T a b l e I w a s 51.3 dB w i t h a s t a n d a r d d e v i a t i o n of 5.1 dB. T a b l e
I
a l s o i n c l u d e s t h e mean and s t a n d a r d d e v i a t i o n of t h e common w a l l a r e a s and of t h e r e c e i v i n g room volumes.STC
F i g u r e 1. D i s t r i b u t i o n of Measured F i g u r e 2. D i s t r i b u t i o n of Measured
LEQ24 Values. STC Values.
F i g u r e 3 p l o t s t h e mean 113 o c t a v e NR a s w e l l a s 1 s t a n d a r d d e v i a t i o n above and below t h e mean v a l u e s . D a t a f o r TL v a l u e s a r e s i m i l a r l y p l o t t e d i n F i g u r e 4. The 113 o c t a v e means and s t a n d a r d d e v i a t i o n s of t h e NR and TL v a l u e s a r e a l s o g i v e n i n T a b l e 11.
/
I t l a l t t t l l l l l f l t l
125 250 500 lk 2k 4k
FREQUENCY, Hz FREQUENCY, Hz
F i g u r e 3. Mean NR Values v e r s u s F i g u r e 4. Mean TL Values v e r s u s Frequency
-,
and f 1. Frequency-
and+
1. S t a n d a r d D e v i a t i o n- -
-.
S t a n d a r d D e v i a t i o n- -
-.
TABLE 11. Frequency
NR and TL 113 Octave Means and S t a n d a r d D e v i a t i o n s i n dB
NR
TL
Mean S t a n d a r d D e v i a t i o n Mean S t a n d a r d D e v i a t i o n
I 1 I I
125 250 500 l k - 2k 4k
FREQUENCY, Hz FREQUENCY, Hz
F i g u r e 5. Mean R e s i d u a l Background F i g u r e 6. Mean Octave Band R e s i d u a l
N o i s e L e v e l s Versus Background Noise L e v e l s
Frequency
-,
and f 1 . v e r s u s Frequency-,
andS t a n d a r d D e v i a t i o n
-
-
-.
NC c o n t o u r s- -
-.
F i g u r e 5 p l o t s t h e mean and a one s t a n d a r d d e v i a t i o n r a n g e a b o u t t h e mean of t h e measured r e c e i v i n g room 113 o c t a v e background n o i s e l e v e l s . These l e v e l s
r e p r e s e n t t h e r e s i d u a l background n o i s e l e v e l s i n homes w i t h no occupant
a c t i v i t y and s o t h e y a r e n o t f o r t h e same c o n d i t i o n s a s t h e LEQ v a l u e s i n T a b l e I. F i g u r e 6 p l o t s t h e same r e s i d u a l background n o i s e l e v e l s i n o c t a v e bands a l o n g w i t h t h r e e n o i s e c r i t e r i o n , NC, c o n t o u r s . The o v e r a l l mean r e s i d u a l background l e v e l i s t h u s s e e n t o approximate NC 25.
The mean measured r e c e i v i n g room r e v e r b e r a t i o n t i m e s and a one s t a n d a r d d e v i a t i o n range a r e g i v e n i n F i g u r e 7. I n a l l 113 o c t a v e bands t h e mean r e v e r b e r a t i o n time was c l o s e t o 0.4 seconds w i t h a s t a n d a r d
Q
d e v i a t i o n of j u s t under 0.1 seconds. FREQUENCY. Hz F i g u r e 7. Mean RT v e r s u s Frequency-,
and2
1. S t a n d a r d D e v i a t i o n-
-
-.
CONCLUSIONSThe d a t a p r e s e n t e d i n t h i s paper c a n be used t o t y p i f y a c o u s t i c a l c o n d i t i o n s i n Canadian homes i n m u l t i p l e r e s i d e n c e b u i l d i n g s . The t y p i c a l home h a s a n LEQ24 of 46.2 dBA and a r e s i d u a l background n o i s e w i t h o u t occupant a c t i v i t y t h a t approximates N C 25. The a v e r a g e p a r t y w a l l h a s a n STC of a p p r o x i m a t e l y STC 50, and a n a v e r a g e l i v i n g room h a s a r e v e r b e r a t i o n t i m e t h a t i s c l o s e t o 0.4 seconds a t a l l measured f r e q u e n c i e s . Details of mean 113 o c t a v e s p e c t r a of NR, TL, RT, and r e s i d u a l background l e v e l s were a l s o p r e s e n t e d . It i s hoped t h a t t h e s e v a l u e s w i l l p r o v i d e a r e l i a b l e d a t a b a s e f o r v a r i o u s c a l c u l a t i o n s c o n c e r n i n g a c o u s t i c a l c o n d i t i o n s i n t h e s e t y p e s of homes.
The d a t a used i n t h e s e a n a l y s e s w a s o b t a i n e d from t h r e e measurement c o n t r a c t s w i t h t h e f o l l o w i n g c o n s u l t a n t s : V a l c o u s t i c s Canada Ltd.of Toronto
,
Harford Kenedy Ltd. of Vancouver, and SNC I n c . of Montreal.REFERENCES
(1) ASTM E336-84, Measurement of Airborne Sound I n s u l a t i o n i n B u i l d i n g s , American S o c i e t y f o r T e s t i n g and M a t e r i a l s , P h i l a d e l p h i a , U.S.A., 1984.
( 2 ) IS0 14014-1978, F i e l d Measurements of A i r b o r n e Sound I n s u l a t i o n Between Rooms, I n t e r n a t i o n a l S t a n d a r d s O r g a n i z a t i o n , Geneva, S w i t z e r l a n d
( 3 ) ASTM E413-73 D e t e r m i n a t i o n of Sound T r a n s m i s s i o n C l a s s , American S o c i e t y f o r T e s t i n g and M a t e r i a l s , P h i l a d e l p h i a , U.S.A., 1973.
T h i s p a p e r i s b e i n g d i s t r i b u t e d i n r e p r i n t f o r m by t h e I n s t i t u t e f o r R e s e a r c h i n C o n s t r u c t i o n . A l i s t of b u i l d i n g p r a c t i c e and r e s e a r c h p u b l i c a t i o n s a v a i l a b l e from t h e I n s t i t u t e may be o b t a i n e d by w r i t i n g t o t h e ~ u b l i c a t i b n s S e c t i o n , I n s t i t u t e f o r R e s e a r c h i n C o n s t r u c t i o n , N a t i o n a l Research C o u n c i l o f C a n a d a , O t t a w a , O n t a r i o , K 1 A OR6. Ce document e s t d i s t r i b u e s o u s forme de t i r 6 - 2 - p a r t p a r 1 ' I n s t i t u t de r e c h e r c h e e n c o n s t r u c t i o n . On p e u t o b t e n i r une l i s t e d e s p u b l i c a t i o n s d e 1' I n s t i t u t p o r t a n t s u r ' les t e c h n i q u e s ou l e s r e c h e r c h e s e n m a t i z r e d e b d t i m e n t e n 6 c r i v a n t ?i l a S e c t i o n d e s p u b l i c a t i o n s , Z n s t i t u t d e r e c h e r c h e e n c o n s t r u c t i o n , C o n s e i l n a t i o n a l d e r e c h e r c h e s du Canada, Ottawa ( O n t a r i o ) , K l A 0R6.
